Chosen

As part of Christian Writer's Blog Chain, this month's topic is " Celebrate" I hope you enjoy!

Growing up I always dreaded playing sports. It's not that I didn't like sports or playing games, but those with the best skills were snatched up first, everyone wants to be picked to play on the winning team. I don't know about you, truthfully I never had much confidence in my abilities and as name after name was called, my anxiety grew. No one wanted to be the last called, otherwise known as the “Mercy Pick.”

It should be comforting to know that God chose us first, before the foundations of the earth. It was not based on our performance, but His love for us (John 15:16). Every single hair is counted (Matthew 10:30). Every day is numbered. He knew everything we would do before a single day had passed (Psalms 139:16). Still He chose us to play on His team.

When we think of all those great hero’s of faith that have gone before, we may not feel as if our life could possibly mean as much, but in deed it does. We have the benefit of hindsight as historians recant the tale of their lives within a few pages, but they lived and breathed as we.

Those hero's experienced the same uncertainty, hardship, betrayal, trials and victories that we do in our daily lives, yet we consider the steps they took as brilliant or somehow knowing they would succeed, yet they had no more insight than we, they just walked by faith trusting the Lord for the outcome.

The Lord has called each of us to be on His team, not based on our abilities but on our faith in Him. “For when we are weak” surrounded by flesh, “then we are strong”, built in faith (2 Corinthians 12: 8-10).

The Lord takes a great amount of pleasure in blessing us. So let us celebrate being surrounded in God's love and strengthened by the courage that we have been picked first!

Boundaries of Self

The most limiting boundary that challenges our growth is the self-imposed one. When we speak these words, “Never” and “Can’t” we've informed our subconscious mind to avoid seeking these things. Effectively saying they are harmful to our well-being.

Our subconscious is a type of guidance system which seeks to attain those things we say are good for us or things we want. The subconscious never sleeps, but works silently on our behalf to help us reach our goal. It does not differentiate between good or evil, but thought patterns can be changed. To test this theory, think about all the things you used to like or do, but changed your mind. What event happened to cause this change? Was it a positive or negative experience?

How wonderfully we are made! The subconscious is truly our friend as we fill our minds with the Word of God, it transforms our sinful thoughts into godly goals. Paul wrote, “Those who are dominated by their sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit” (Romans 8:5 NLT)

When we say “No” to God, we say “Yes” to something else, usually self-serving pleasure. If we truly understand the great gift we have been given through Christ, we should always say “Yes Lord, speak your servant is listening”

Sometimes we get wrong ideas in our minds about what God is like and what we should be doing. Without careful guidance from God’s Word we sometimes can be fed a bunch of religious doctrines that are focused more on our behavior and actions rather than loving Christ and loving people. If we are wise, we will feed only on the Word of God.

“Crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, just as a baby cries out for milk” (1 Peter 2:2NLT).

Boundaries of Fear

It almost sounds impossible to believe that Fear has a boundary, especially to those who have been overwhelmed by the effects, but the good news is Fear can be extinguished once given the right information.

Fear is a natural reaction to the unknown. The first example of fear is given in Genesis after the fall of man, “Toward evening, they heard the Lord walking about the garden, so they hid themselves among the trees. The Lord called to Adam, “Where are you?” He replied, I heard you, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”” (Genesis 3:8-10NLT). The first reaction of fear is to hide or escape.

Fear, if used properly can save your life, removing you from a dangerous situation, but fear used improperly can rob you of your life. The sin that entered into all of creation brought with it the wrong kind of fear, the kind that breeds shame and confusion. This fear separates us from God, from his healing power to restore and renew our purpose.

John wrote, “Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us.” (1 John 4:18).

John spoke of the godly love we should possess in our lives and reflect to others, but fear will disarm that love. When we live in fear, we become immobile and cannot grow and develop godly character.

The Fear of Failure plagues many of us as well as the Fear of Disappointing God. Both are detrimental to your emotional well-being and your spiritual life. There is only one remedy for those fears, are you ready? If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have pleased God! It may sound odd but that is the only thing God the Father asks of you.

If that is true, you might ask, then why are so many suffering from this fear? The suffering continues because they have not understood nor believed this foundational truth. You cannot please God outside of Jesus Christ and to please God you must believe what he has said to be true; otherwise, you are calling him a liar.

Next, let us disarm the Fear of Failure. Have placed your faith in Jesus’ finished work at the cross? Then you cannot fail! The life and blood that Jesus paid on the cross is the complete atonement for the failures of men. Once you trust in his completed work, you reap the benefits! “Therefore there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Condemnation means: to declare unfit for use, useful for nothing, to be judged, cast off and the like. In Christ Jesus you cannot fail, his blood secures you.

The true meaning of failure is never attempting anything! Those who try and do not accomplish what they set out to achieve have not failed, they simply are continuing to grow. Are you continuing to grow? It takes time to learn how to overcome these fears and many others. No one is immune and we must constantly trust Jesus to lead us in his victory march. Let him show you what he wants from you. Grow in his love and live the life he gave you in complete victory over fear.

Further encouragement read Psalms 34 aloud, may the words encourage your heart and strengthen your faith!