From Fear To Trust

I woke up really early last week which for those of you who know me know this is a highly rare occurrence.  After making sure I wasn't having a heart attack or was awake for some other medical emergency--and after trying unsuccessfully to get back to sleep I spent the time thinking and praying a bit.  I've been admittedly anxious lately over a few things and as that was likely the cause of my restlessness I went about trying to address some of the causes of my anxiety.

My mind drifted to this fear that was gnawing away at me.  Here's what I know:

- It's really really negative
- It makes me feel physically unwell
- It causes me to doubt myself
- It tells me to withdraw from my community
- It shortens my perspective
- It presents bad choices as the only choices
- It directs my thoughts away from my faith and on to myself

After some thought I found myself making the declaration that instead of fear I choose to trust.  Here's what I know about trust:

- For me the first question is who or what am I trusting in.  As a Christian I immediately go to the comfort I find in the knowledge that there's a loving and personal God that I've decided to throw my lot in with and who in return propmises me that He won't allow me to go through more than I can handle.

- Trust by it's nature is very positive and reassuring
- It is life giving
- It inspires self-confidence -
- I long to connect with others and hear their story when I trust
- My perspective is as wide and as large as I want it to be when I trust. There are no limits.
- Quickly all the bad choices fade away and are replaced by good ones. Often these choices are ones that are creative, dynamic, and ones that I could never have forseen.

This became one of those transcendent moments where as soon as I said the words in my mind I felt the pressure of the fear lift. Once I decided to trust and not fear, I was once again ready to face my challenges head on.