Encouragement in the spiritual life

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Tell Yourself the Truth to Feel Better

Paul described himself as a servant of Christ Jesus, and the Philippians as saints (Phil 1:1). How we choose to think about ourselves affects our peace and joy. Describing ourselves in ways that give us no hope for change—“I’m such a loser”—causes discouragement and robs us of joy. On the other hand, describing ourselves as better than we actually are—“I’m the best employee here”—conflicts with reality and those conflicts disrupt peace.

Bird on multi-colored rose

“Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26

Seeing ourselves the way God sees us gives us hope because we are assured of His acceptance and continued work.

If we forget our calling and put our identity in earthly things—appearance, positions, possessions, proficiencies—we’ll miss our purpose and be subject to fickle circumstances that can snatch those things away. Seeing ourselves as God does—servants of Christ and dearly loved children whom God is bringing to maturity—brings hope, joy, and peace.

What are some of the ways you describe yourself? How does telling yourself these things make you feel? How does it affect your actions?

If you’re telling yourself joy-robbing, peace-disrupting, hope-destroying statements, consider trying two things for a week. First, every time you are about to describe yourself in one of these ways, stop and tell yourself this: “I am a servant of Jesus Christ and a dearly loved child of God; He is completing a good work in me” (1Co. 4:1, Col. 3:12, Phil. 1:6). Repeat this often to yourself, letting the words soak in.

Second, begin memorizing the verses this statement is based upon, beginning with this one:

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 1:6

Tell yourself the truth! You’ll feel better.

Adapted from Philippians: Steps to Joy & Peace (forthcoming).

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Work Out Your Salvation?

Paul said, “Work out your salvation with fear and  trembling,” a statement which causes some Christians to fear and tremble. So let’s take a look at it.

Father tutors son

Aerospace engineer Matt teaches son Michael calculus

Doing works does not save us, but true salvation shows itself in works (Eph. 2:8-9). Paul is writing to believers about the outworking of their salvation in their everyday lives, an outworking that will cause them to shine like stars before those who do not yet believe. This labor should be with fear and trembling; that is, reverence and awe that recognizes subservience to Almighty God, that trembles before his power to destroy in hell, and that dares not turn grace into a license for sin.“Do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil,” Peter tells us, but rather, “fear God” (1Pe. 2:16-17).

Dallas Willard likens God to nuclear power: nuclear power isn’t mean, but should be respected because it’s dangerous. C. S. Lewis explains this respect to children in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when Mr. Beaver describes Aslan, the great Lion who is King of Beasts and Son of the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea: “‘Safe?… Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.’” [ref]C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (New York: Collier, 1970), 76.[/ref] To fear God is to respect his power and authority, and to therefore obey him. Yet we also have confidence before him because we know “His mercy extends to those who fear him” (Luke 1:50) and he “accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:35).

Paul says the reason we should work out our salvation is that God works in us “to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Rather than forcing us to obey, God works to give us both the desire and the ability to do what is right. God wants neither robots nor puppets. He wants creatures who freely choose to love and do right.

So how does our working out mesh with God’s working in?

Imagine the son of a mathematician deciding to learn calculus. He cannot learn it on his own: he doesn’t have the skills or knowledge within himself to do it. He turns to his father for help. The father explains the concepts, gives him problems to work, checks the boy’s progress, and arranges lessons to address weaknesses. Finally, the thing is done and the boy has learned calculus. He passes a college level equivalency exam. As a reward, he has college credit, his father’s commendation for doing well, and greater opportunities opened to him.

Can the boy say, “I did it all myself”? Of course not: without his father, he could do nothing. Should the boy say, “It was all my father—I did nothing”? That wouldn’t be true, for a lazy child would have learned nothing and would have received neither reward nor commendation.

So it is with us. Jesus said apart from him we can do nothing, but in him we will bear fruit (Jn. 15:5). We haven’t the skills or knowledge within ourselves to do it on our own. But if we remain in Jesus, our heavenly Father will teach us truth, give us problems to work, check our progress, and address our weaknesses. When fruit begins to grow, we cannot say, “I did it all myself,” for apart from him we can do nothing (1 Cor. 4:7). Yet we do have a part: “Continue to work out your salvation,” Paul says. We must attend to the lessons, work through the problems obediently, and take correction. One day, God will test the quality of our work and reward us accordingly.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. ~Philippians 2:12-13

Adapted from Philippians: Steps to Joy and Peace (forthcoming)

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The Choice to Rejoice

Rejoice in the LordRejoicing is something we choose to do. While complaining reveals a rebellious heart, rejoicing shows a gladly submissive heart. Complaining reveals distrust; rejoicing shows complete trust. complaining sees unfulfilled desires as denied rights; rejoicing sees fulfilled desires as undeserved blessings. Complaining is preoccupied with itself, while rejoicing, because it does not consider its own interests a right and considers service a privilege, abounds in looking outward to the interests of others.

Those who fix their eyes on the earth cannot help but complain, for this corrupted world cannot satisfy. Those who fix their eyes on the eternal find their soul’s longing satisfied and cannot help but rejoice.

If choosing to rejoice is not something you’re used to, try this: Every day for the next week, write down ten things for which you’re grateful to God. Then give thanks and take joy in them.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble
for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Philippians 3:1

Adapted from Philippians: Steps to Joy & Peace (forthcoming)

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Why God Says No: A 3 Dog Tale

Sometimes God tells us No to test whether our hearts are faithful and obedient.

Dog jumping through hoop

My sister's dog Kaze obediently jumping through hoops

Imagine a master dog trainer who supplies dogs to the ATF, DEA and police is training a newly hired apprentice.

The trainer points to three calmly sitting dogs and says, “We just received these dogs that received their initial training elsewhere. We’re going to test them to see if they’re suitable for us and, if so, what level of training they should receive next. The unimaginative breeders named them Black Dog, Yellow Dog, and Spotted Dog.”

The trainer calls over Black Dog and tests how he obeys basic commands such as sit, stay, and heel, as well as trickier commands such as back up and growl. Then he tells the apprentice to test Yellow Dog and Spotted Dog. All dogs do well.

The trainer says, “Now test their obedience with food.”

The apprentice tells the dogs to sit. They obey. He opens a bag of kibbles and three dog noses twitch and turn his way as the grainy smell fills the air. He plunges a scoop noisily into the bag and the dogs’ ears perk. He pulls out the scoop full of brown bits and pours them with a clatter into three bowls as three pairs of eyes watch. Yellow Dog licks his chops and taps one forepaw on the floor. Finally the apprentice places the bowls before the dogs and commands, “Take it!” All the dogs leap forward and devour the kibbles in minutes.

The trainer says, “That’s not what I meant. That test means nothing because the dogs are doing what dogs do naturally. I can’t tell whether they’re eating because they’re obeying you or their own cravings.”

The trainer refills the bowls with kibble, commands, “Leave it!” and places the bowls before the dogs. Yellow Dog eats his kibbles, but the others sit quietly.

The master trainer says, “That shows me Yellow Dog may not work for us, but it doesn’t show me how obedient the other two are because their bellies are full. Don’t feed the dogs for 24 hours, and then we’ll test them again.”

After 24 hours, the apprentice brings the dogs to the master trainer. Yellow Dog growls and snaps at him, Spotted Dog whines, and Black Dog is quiet.

The trainer says, “Now test them like I showed you yesterday.”

The apprentice commands, “Leave it,” and places bowls of kibble in front of the dogs. Both Yellow Dog and Spotted Dog eat their kibble. Black Dog sits quietly, and Yellow Dog eats Black Dog’s kibble too.

The trainer says, “Now we know Black Dog is obedient from the heart: she’ll obey even when hungry. Give Yellow Dog away, for she won’t meet our needs. Put Spotted Dog in intermediate training. I’ll take Black Dog for now and reward her with a steak, for her desire to obey her master is greater than her desire to obey her hunger. I have great plans for her.”

And so it is with us. God tests us to expose what’s in our hearts. He gives more training to those who need it. And to those who don’t, He entrusts with greater tasks and rewards with eternal riches.

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” ~1 Peter 1:6-7

“Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” ~Deuteronomy 8:2

Related: Why God Says No: To Teach Eternal Purpose

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Persevering Past Halfway

Have you ever excitedly started a new project and halfway in wondered, Whatever made me think I could do this anyway? This is beyond my abilities! I’ll never get done. The halfway point can be hard. The initial excitement disappears, the project looms larger than anticipated, unpredicted problems pile on, fatigue weighs in, and persevering seems impossible.

Laying Slate

Replacing the entire downstairs floor after a slab leak took several months. I cut the tiles and Clay laid them!

And for kingdom-building projects, at the halfway point our enemy steps up attacks.

This is what happened in the Old Testament book Nehemiah. Nehemiah’s arrival in Jerusalem to help the Israelites annoyed their enemies. When he rallied the people together to begin rebuilding protective walls, these enemies mocked and ridiculed them. But Nehemiah was convinced God would give them success so they kept working.

Now that really riled their enemies. They ridiculed the builders even more, telling them they were too feeble to work, their materials were crummy, they’d never finish, and even if they did, the wall was so shoddy it would tumble if a fox hopped on it.

Nehemiah responded with prayer: “Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads” (Neh. 4:4). And he kept the workers persevering.

The Halfway Point

But at the halfway point, the builders became tired and discouraged because the rubble was so great they could hardly work. Meanwhile, their furious enemies threatened to kill them!

That’s how it is when we’re completing a work to build God’s kingdom. At the point of natural fatigue, the devil steps up spiritual attacks. He knows our weaknesses and that’s where he wages war.

Nehemiah knew the situation was grave so he slowed down the work. Half the people worked while the rest guarded the builders. He posted guards at vulnerable spots. Nehemiah arranged it that anyone who was attacked could sound a trumpet so the others could help fight. He posted guards at night and instructed everyone to sleep in their clothes with their weapons at hand. And he encouraged the people by telling them not to be afraid of the enemies, but remember the Lord and fight for each other.

Steps for Persevering

Personally, I’m at the halfway point on some projects, so I’ll keep persevering past halfway like Nehemiah by making sure I:

  1. Remember that thoughts such as, You’re inadequate, you’ll never get it done, and this isn’t really good enough to do the job anyway can be the enemy’s intimidation tactics
  2. Guard carefully areas in which I know I’m most vulnerable
  3. Ask friends to pray for me and thereby fight with me
  4. Listen to worship music before bedtime
  5. Arm myself with the Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God
  6. Tell myself: 

Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.

Nehemiah 4:14

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These are Amazon affiliate links, but are books which I highly recommend.

Edited 10/24/19. Originally published 12/20/11.

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Have you ever excitedly started a new project & halfway in wondered, Whatever made me think I could do this? Here are 6 tips for persevering past halfway. Share on X
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Why God Says No: To Teach Eternal Purpose

Caged Eagle: why God says no

Injured eagle rescued & now protected within cage in Sitka, Alaska

Why does God sometimes say No to things we seem to really need for peace and happiness?

Many years ago a small business I worked for shut down unexpectedly, leaving me unemployed in the middle of a recession a few months before I was to be married. I had a tough time finding a new job. Finally the owner of a small family photography studio offered me a receptionist position that would meet my former salary if I worked 48 hours per week. I took it.

On my first day, I discovered that what Tom, the owner, had called “some phone work” was really telephone solicitation, and that it was to be my main duty.

I hated it. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make my quota and my stomach tied in knots every morning as I faced another day of failure. Additionally, Tom listened to everything his staff said via intercoms so he could correct every mistake and critique every lost sale.

Though I was grateful for a job that allowed our wedding to go on, I felt I needed a less stressful job and prayed regularly for such. But time stretched on and I remained there.

***

The Israelites faced something similar. During the trek through barren desert to the Promised Land, God fed them manna. It sustained them, but they grew tired of it day after day, morning, noon and night. They craved lamb and fish and garlic and leeks. Why wouldn’t God give them a varied diet?

Later Moses told them one of the reasons God met their needs, but not their cravings, had been “to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3). In other words, sometimes God says No to teach us important lessons.

He wanted to teach them that just as their bodies craved physical food, so their spirits craved the spiritual food of God’s words, even though they didn’t feel hunger pangs in the same way. Cucumbers and melons could support physical life, but not spiritual life. They needed to seek spiritual life in His words.

The fact is, our deep spiritual longings can be filled only with eternal things.

Some people never grasp this. They chase pleasures, possessions and positions. They may feel a fleeting satisfaction whenever they grab one, but it soon fades and the chase resumes.

But God wants us to live by His words and seek fulfillment in the Creator rather than creation, in the eternal rather than the temporal.

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I persevered at the job I hated. In God’s Word I found that He wanted me to respond by trying my best, being thankful that He could work this job for my good, and looking for ways to share the gospel.

After nearly a year, two co-workers turned their lives over to Christ. We met regularly before work for Bible study. Then we all found new jobs.

I discovered that having a job I liked wasn’t a need, but a desire, and life isn’t just about enjoying myself. It’s about doing things that have eternal purpose, things that God rewards eternally. That was deeply satisfying, more satisfying, in fact, than even the agreeable jobs I’ve had since.

Are you in a difficult situation where you lack some of the things you really desire? Go ahead and ask God to change it, but until He does, seek satisfaction in Him.

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. ~Deuteronomy 8:3

Related:  Why God Says No: A 3 Dog Tale

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Spontaneous Praise and Why the Psalmists Call Us to do It

Many psalms in the Bible’s book of Psalms tell us to praise God. But if the Bible is God’s words, is this God commanding praise? Indeed, some skeptics complain that praise psalms make God appear egotistical. In fact, when I first read Psalms, this very thing bothered me.

Mangroves elicit praise
Mangrove Trees

But let me tell a story that clarifies what what I had missed.

A Trip Down a River

Clay and I once boarded a boat docked on the sea green Tortuguero Canal in Costa Rica. Its blue canopy shielded us from sun and sporadic showers as we glided slowly on the water on the lookout for wild creatures.

We spotted many birds, including tiny roosting bats and blue-and-white swallows. Iguanas and big-headed green basilisk lizards crawled on roots and branches. Both two- and three-toed sloths hung lazily in trees.

Tiny bats elicit praise
Tiny roosting bats

We floated between riverbanks thick with the big, heart-shaped leaves of balsa trees. Everywhere, skinny aerial roots reached from mangrove tree branches down to the brackish water. Heavy yellow fruit hung like pendulums on coconut trees beneath cream-colored frothy flowers and jade-green serrated fronds. Flamboyant flowers in showy colors popped amidst the deep jungle green.

We heard hidden monkeys howling from the tree canopy. We breathed in the soft perfume of the pale yellow ylang-ylang flower, from which Channel No. 5 is made. Our fingers brushed fuzzy red achiote seed pods. We tasted slightly crunchy lady fingerling bananas with their lingering, honey-like sweetness.

Natural Praise

We praised achiote
Achiote seed pods

With each new wonder, we said to each other, family, and even strangers things like, “Look! Isn’t it gorgeous?!”; “Here—feel how incredibly soft this is!”; “Did you hear that? Wasn’t it amazing?!”; and “Oh, you’ve got to smell this—it’s beautiful!” When our ultra-zoom camera caught details the eye couldn’t see, we passed it around to others: “Look at this!”

The boat was filled with excited chatter about the wonders surrounding us.

Isn’t that what most people do when they encounter something wonderful? It seems fitting to share our discovery with someone. And when others respond with equal delight, our enjoyment increases.

Why the Psalmists Call us to Praise

Northern Jacana elicits praise
Northern Jacana

In fact, as C. S. Lewis has pointed out, enjoyment is not complete until it is expressed and shared.

This is why the psalmists so often call us to sing praises to the Lord: They experienced God and responded by calling others to share in their joy.

I did not always know this. I confess that the first few times I read Psalms, I wondered why God told people to praise him. The idea made me squirm because I associated it with tyrannical dictators and bad bosses: people who surround themselves with Yes men, reward flattery, and punish disagreement. Since then, I’ve found I wasn’t alone in my confusion.

Even a sloth elicits praise
Sloth

What I missed was that the psalms aren’t God demanding people praise him. Rather, they are psalms by godly people who experienced the wonders and realities of God, and who responded naturally with praise and a call to others to witness and share their delight under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

C. S. Lewis on Praise

C. S. Lewis put it this way:

Basilisk lizard in Costa Rica elicit praise
Basilisk Lizard

All enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless (sometimes even if) shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought in to check it. The world rings with praise—lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favourite game—praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, rare beetles, even sometimes politicians or scholars.… Just as men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: “Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t it glorious? Don’t you think that magnificent?” The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about.

C.S. Lewis, The Inspirational Writings of C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms (New York: Inspirational Press, 1994), 179 (Amazon affiliate link).
Spontaneous praise
Egret

On the Costa Rican boat, there was something else we did besides call others to marvel in tropical plants and animals: We praised their Creator, and thanked the Giver of all blessings. It was only fitting.

Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

Psalm 147:1

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Ylang-ylang brings praise for its fragrance
Ylang-ylang Flower

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Do the psalms tell us to praise God because God is egotistical? Or is something more delightful and spontaneous going on? Share on X
UPDATED NOVEMBER 15, 2019
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Don’t Let Intimidation Stop You

Intimidation is a hummingbird's way

Hummingbird sticks out tongue

Have you ever embarked on what you thought might be a way to help others, but as soon as you told people about it, became intimidated? I have. In fact, just last year I joined a newly formed writers’ group and shared my plans for books to encourage Christians and strengthen faith. Though I’d published before, as soon as I heard about the others’ awards won, books published, and numerous articles written, I thought, Who am I fooling? I should quit now!

I didn’t quit, however, as I soon realized I was merely intimidated. A friend mentioned it’s not just fears of inadequacy that feed intimidation: it’s often a spiritual battle. Indeed, the Bible tells us we are battling “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12), so it makes sense there will be a spiritual battle when what’s at stake is spiritually strengthening others.

The Old Testament book of Nehemiah tells how the Israelites’ enemies tried to intimidate Nehemiah to stop him from helping others.

Nehemiah wanted to rebuild Jerusalem’s fallen walls so its people would be protected from plunderers. He discussed his plans with the king, who not only approved his plans but appointed him Judah’s governor. Nehemiah finished arranging everything that could be done before he headed out to his new post.

However, when he arrived at Jerusalem with army officers and letters from the king, he discovered right away that the Israelites’ enemies “were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites” (Neh. 2:10).

What did Nehemiah do? He didn’t try to win them over: these enemies opposed his goals. Neither did he ask the people he would govern what they thought he should do. Instead, under night’s cover, he examined the ruins with a few trusted men. He told no one there what he was up to until he knew exactly what needed to be done and how. That prevented naysayers from killing the project before it even started with “That’ll never work,” “You’ll never convince so-and-so,” and “You don’t know what we’re up against.”

Then Nehemiah called the people together and told them what he wanted to accomplish and why: “Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace” (Neh. 2:17). He rallied their hopes by sharing how God’s hand had been with him so far. They responded, “Let’s do it!”

But as soon as the work began, the enemies mocked and ridiculed Nehemiah and the workers, saying “What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” (Neh. 2:19).

They were trying to intimidate the Israelites by claiming they were incompetent and threatening trouble if they kept going.

But Nehemiah recognized those words came from enemies who wanted to plunder Jerusalem. He stayed focused on the goal and replied, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem” (Neh. 2:20).

Like Nehemiah, I’d seen needs and I’d fasted, prayed, and planned. Doors opened. I made more detailed plans.

And when I got together with others so we could rally each other on, mocking thoughts besieged me.

Hmm. My situation sounded a lot like Nehemiah’s.

So I recognized the ridicule’s source, focused on the goal, told myself God would make successful whatever He wanted me to do, and got writing.

Which was the right thing to do.

 If you’ve become intimidated after telling others a goal, how have you battled it?

“But when [our enemies] heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. ‘What is this you are doing?’ they asked. ‘Are you rebelling against the king?’ I answered them by saying, ‘The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.” ~Nehemiah 2:19-20

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5 Steps for Facing Daunting Decisions

Demolished bathroom

A slab leak pushed a bathroom remodel ahead of other projects in 2005

Five book ideas competed for my attention like auditioning dancers. All seemed exciting, but working with any would be daunting. And then there was the completed Bible study guide that had been well received at two churches. Should I submit it to a publisher? That meant creating a blog—another time consumer.

I thumbed through my black leather Bible’s pages to the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. You see, Nehemiah knew how to tackle a difficult project.

The book begins with Nehemiah in a fortress of Susa (in modern-day Iran), his brother having just told him that their fellow Jews were in great trouble and disgrace. About 140 years earlier Babylon had broken down Jerusalem’s walls, burned its gates and buildings, taken its treasures, and exiled the inhabitants.  A Jewish remnant eventually returned and rebuilt a temple and homes. But the city still lacked walls to protect it from enemies.

Nehemiah wept for his people. He wanted to help. But he had a fulltime, prestigious position as cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes. The king trusted him to serve him wine that wasn’t poisoned, something Nehemiah ensured by drinking first. He had the king’s confidence and ear. It wasn’t the kind of job one could choose to quit.

Nehemiah took five steps as he contemplated what to do about Jerusalem’s need.

First, for days he fasted and prayed, mourning over the need and confessing his sins and those of his people. He offered himself as a servant to God, willing to help how he could.

Second, Nehemiah devised a plan. He wanted to go to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls. He calculated what he would need and how to get it. He estimated the time it would take. He did not, however, waste time planning particulars that wouldn’t matter if the plan were nixed.

Third, he picked a day to present his plan to the king. He didn’t wait around anxiously pondering endless what-if scenarios. He set right to finding out if God was going to bless this venture.

Fourth, when the day came, Nehemiah asked God to grant him favor before Artaxerxes, the person with the power to say yes or no—and who had decreed previously the walls not be rebuilt (Ezra 4:21).

Nehemiah was ready when the opportunity came suddenly: when he brought the king his wine, the king asked him why he seemed sad.

Finally, despite his fear, Nehemiah seized the opportunity and told Artaxerxes what was on his heart. The king asked what he wanted. Nehemiah prayed again and asked for a leave of absence to rebuild the city. Then he laid out his plan.

Artaxerxes granted his request. That’s when Nehemiah knew God had answered YES!

I considered Nehemiah’s five steps carefully:

  1. Seeking God through fasting, prayer, confession and willingness
  2. Devising a plan
  3. Setting a date to present the plan
  4. Asking God to grant favor
  5. Seizing opportunity despite fear

I had done step 1. I’d gotten stuck on step 2 by planning unnecessary details. So I dropped those distractions and set a date to test whether I could manage a blog: if within two weeks I could write five, I’d set a date by which I’d pitch the Bible study guide.

Within five days I wrote eight blogs.

November is my goal for presenting a proposal for the guide.

What about you? Are you contemplating a move, seeking a new job, pursuing a new passion? At which step are you now? Which step is usually most difficult for you?

“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” ~Nehemiah 1:4 (NIV)

Next: Nehemiah thwarts mockers.

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Chase Away Temptation, Doubt, and Fear

Discouragement. It stops progress—especially progress overcoming temptation, doubt, and fear.

  • Will I ever get over my anger towards that person?
  • Can God really love a person who has failed as miserably as I have?
  • Will I survive the loss of my loved one?
  • What will happen to my loved ones if I die?
  • Will I ever get a job?
  • What if we can’t pay the mortgage?

When temptation, doubt, and fear persist, perseverance can seem futile. In the forty plus years I’ve been a Christian, I’ve seen many discouraged people give up trying to prevail in difficult circumstances.

But that’s not what God wants. In fact, perseverance is one of the qualities God wants to grow in us:

Make every effort to add to your faith … perseverance
2 Peter 1:5-6

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up
Galatians 6:9

So here are five ways to chase away temptation, doubt, and fear.

1. Treat Temptation, Doubt, and Fear like Crows

Once upon a time there were two farmers. Each had five sons. One year both farmers planted a field of corn.

doubt and fear

Chase the crows of doubt and fear

The First Farmer

When the corn began to sprout ears, the first farmer heard cawing, looked out the window, and saw crows descending. He shouted, “Boys, crows are after the corn. Quick! Let’s chase them away!”

The farmer and his sons ran outside yelling. One banged on a metal trash can lid. Another waved a rake in the air. One fired rocks with his slingshot. Finally they succeeded in chasing the crows away and returned to the house. They wiped their foreheads and drank tall glasses of sweet tea.

But soon, the farmer looked out the window and saw the crows returning.

“Bad news, sons,” he said. “The crows are back. We’ll have to take shifts to keep them away until harvest.”

So they each took shifts chasing away crows until the corn ripened. They harvested the corn and had plenty to eat and sell.

The Second Farmer

Now the second farmer likewise heard cawing, looked out his window, and saw crows descending on his corn. He called out to his sons and they too ran through the rows shouting. They banged on a trashcan lid, waved a rake, and fired rocks with a slingshot. When the crows finally fled, the farmer and his sons returned to the house and drank icy lemonade.

But soon, this farmer, too, looked out his window and saw the crows returning.

“Bad news, sons,” he said. “The crows have returned. We don’t eat this season.”

The Moral

Of course, no sensible farmer would simply give up. But we are like that second farmer when we don’t persevere in our struggles against temptation, doubt, and fear. These are like crows in our spiritual lives. We need patience to prevail.

2. Set up Guards against Temptation, Doubt, and Fear

Paul told Timothy to “guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’” (1 Timothy 6:20). Just as the persistent farmer stationed his sons in shifts to guard his corn, so we can station truths to guard our hearts. Here’s how my husband and I do it.

Create a Truth Journal

A truth journal can be a notebook, a piece of paper, or a file on a smartphone. In it you write out what’s true from God’s perspective about your situation. Each truth is like an armed farmer’s son. Here are examples:

  • I am a dearly loved child of God. He is training me to do his will and I am learning to overcome _______.
  • God will work _______ out for my good. He sees the big picture. I don’t. Therefore, I can trust him that he knows best.
  • God loves my family even more than I do. I can trust him to care for them.

I like to number each truth because it encourages me to see how many truths God is working into my life through my current difficulty.

Add Scriptures

Take time to read your Bible every day. Begin by asking the Holy Spirit to guide you to verses that will help you see what he wants you to know and do. Additionally, use a concordance or ask your pastor for verses that suit your situation. When you find encouraging verses, write them out in your truth journal. I number these, too.

Here are some verses to get you started.

  • Discouragement: Philippians 1:6; 2:13; Romans 8:37-39
  • Temptation: 1 Corinthians 10:13; Matthew 5:6
  • Doubt: 2 Corinthians 10:5; Proverbs 3:5
  • Fear: 1 Peter 5:7; Hebrews 13:5
  • Assurance of forgiveness: Isaiah 1:18; 1 John 1:9
  • Assurance of salvation: John 1:12; 3:16-17; 5:24

Use the Truth Journal

Keep the truth journal handy at all times. Every time crows of temptation, doubt, and fear return, read the truth journal until you find the truth that helps. Loop it in your mind until the temptation, doubt, and fear flee.

3. Don’t Call Crows

That is, don’t do things that invite temptation, doubt, and fear.

  • Temptation: Put parental filters on your television and computers.
  • Doubt: Don’t “test your faith” by frequenting atheist sites.
  • Financial fear: Avoid window shopping and reading magazines with glossy photos of things you can’t afford right now.
  • Anxiety: Turn off the news.

Jesus said, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away” (Matthew 5:29). He was using hyperbole to get across the point that we need to take drastic measures to get rid of stumbling blocks.

4. Pray with Hope

Draw near to God through prayer.

Pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Pray each line, then personalize it. This will help you care for all aspects of your spiritual life.

Pray Psalms of hope. These teach you to remember God’s past care, focus on the eternal view, and give thanks for God’s current care. Pray a line or stanza, and then personalize it. Use Psalm 119 for temptation; Psalm 73 for doubt; Psalm 71 for fear; and Psalm 51 for repentance.

Sing worship songs, especially before bedtime. These remind you of God’s love. They help you “set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). When you remember that eternity will end all evil and bring final healing, peace will calm you. Additionally, the rhythm of music and poetry can stop frenetic thoughts.

5. Serve

Serve others in a way that gets your mind off your temptation, doubt, and fear, and onto helping others. For example, feed the poor, help a widow, or volunteer at church.

Helping those in need can reset your thinking. “Nature loves a vacuum,” and filling your mind with positive thoughts about serving can prevent negative thoughts. Seeing what someone else needs to do to get out of a predicament can help you see what you need to do. Helping others gets your eyes temporarily off yourself. Besides, God rewards our efforts to serve others. It’s a win-win.

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:4

See also:
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Honest Prayer

honest prayerLike many Christians I’d memorized verses such as “all things work together for good” and “give thanks in all circumstances (Rom 8:28, 1Th 5:18). When bad things happened, I’d quote these verses, thank God for the good He would work, and push away questions. Trying to trust God, I did something akin to closing my eyes, putting my hands over my ears, and saying, “Lalalalalal—just have faith—lalalalalala.”

After a second trimester miscarriage, I dutifully did these things and refused to think about problems. I thought I was fine. I didn’t feel angry at God; actually, I didn’t feel anything towards God. That concerned me, but I dismissed it as emotional exhaustion.

But when I noticed I was often mad over minor matters, I wondered if I were angry with God.

I looked up “anger” in my Bible’s concordance to see how God might respond. I found that He is slow to anger and full of understanding and compassion. I found too that God expects me to be patient and forgiving towards others’ anger, so that must be what He’s like.

I decided that if I were angry with God, He already knew it so I may as well talk to Him about it—not with a raging heart, like the fool in Pr 19:3, but in the same way I might talk to anyone whose actions I didn’t understand but whom I knew dearly loved me.

I headed out to a deserted schoolyard and prayed, “I think I might be mad at you, God.” I listed what bothered me (the things I’d been refusing to think about) and quickly discovered I was mad—really mad.

I admitted everything I was angry about, even the minor things such as, “Now I can’t enjoy a future pregnancy!” I disclosed every fear: “How will I face those church members who think my loss was due to lack of faith?” I asked every question: “How could you let something bad happen when I’m Your child?”

Surprisingly, such honest prayer helped three ways.

First, some issues resolved immediately. No sooner were the words out of my mouth about not being able to enjoy a future pregnancy than I realized the complaint wasn’t valid—irritation over not enjoying something is merely peevish.

More importantly, when I demanded, “Everyone else can have children; why can’t I?” I instantly realized my error. Many women cannot have children; some also have no husband. Ignoring my secret thoughts had kept me believing a lie and thinking God was denying me a right—and that was the basis of my anger.

Second, the fact that some issues resolved immediately gave me hope the others could resolve too. I still hurt, but now I had peace.

Third, the still unresolved questions were now exposed so I could seek answers. Before I had felt as if a craggy, deep red and black mountain had plunged onto the path before me, its height insurmountable and its dark shadow engulfing me. Now I felt as if the mountain were gone. Ahead my path approached a manageable hurdle, then another, then eventually it climbed a small beige hill and in the distance a larger hill behind which the sun shone brightly, lighting my way.

The difference between how I was attempting to trust God before and after may seem subtle, but the effects were significant. Before, I was closing my eyes lest something be exposed that weakened my faith. But while closed eyes can’t see problems, neither can they see God. When I opened my eyes and took questions and problems to God rather than ignoring them, I began to find answers and understand God better. Instead of weakening, my faith in God’s goodness grew. I still quoted verses and trusted God over what I didn’t understand, but out of faith rather than fear. I was searching for understanding “as for hidden treasures,” and was beginning to find it (Pr 2:4-6).

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Psalms 139:23 

You can read more about contentment with life’s circumstances in my article, Journey of Childlessness, on www.Kyria.com.

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