Fear is a powerful emotion. It can cause 3 natural physiological mechanisms in response. 1. Fight 2. Flight 3. Freeze. For 100 bonus points, does anyone know why? Aside from that was the way we were created, our brains have naturally adapted over the past few millennia. Back when the world was mostly teeth and flesh, when faced with a threatening animal or situation, humans had to decide 1. Can I fight this to survive? 2. Should I run from this to survive? 3. Humans learned that some animals do not eat dead things so they learned, if I freeze, it will leave me alone. Fear plays a key role in our ability to survive. So at what point does fear become a key role in our sin? For me, fear keeps me from trusting in God- IMMANUEL. This week has been good in a sense that I a daily trying to remember that He is IMMANUEL- God with us. I immediately try to control the situation and when I can't, in sets the panic. It is crazy how I do this over and over again. So as I continue to bring my mind that God is with me, I feel a calm come over me. Tonight's study continues to be a combination of Step 3 of the 12 steps (We made a decision to turn our wills and our lives over to the care of God) and the name Immanuel. Tonight, I am reminded of some important promises.
But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" And God said, "I will be with you." Exodus 3:11 - 12
"I will never leave you nor forsake you. . . . Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:5, 9
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Isaiah 43:2 - 3
Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."
So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can human beings do to me?"
Hebrews 13:5 - 6
The word of God is full of promises that God will be with us, that he will not abandon us. I know I don't deserve it, but I am learning to daily accept the grace that was given to me and trust in the fact that He is IMMANUEL!
Dude! 12 steps? Are you on drugs? alcohol? What gives? You've always been so together.
ReplyDeleteNo man, not on drugs and alcohol. I have had my struggles, but by the grace of God, I am not an addict. These posts are about my relationship to God and hopefully can inspire hope. I am a chemical dependence counselor and so I am very familiar with the 12 steps and I apply them to my life.
ReplyDelete