Good morning,
Today on Instagram my friend posted a quote from Yoda, a character in the “Star Wars” movie. “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.”
A book I am reading titled, It’s Okay Not to Be Okay, quotes a character in the movie, “The Hobbit.” “‘Go Back?’ he thought, ‘No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!'”
What I like about all this is that it lines up with the Bible. Fear hurts us. We can have faith or we can have fear. They are like a teeter-totter. Only one can be up at a time. When we trust God we can say what He says. We can lean into Jesus and help ourselves live in Faith, Hope, and Love. We don’t go sideways into fear and think that will eventually help us. It will not. Yoda had it right! We go forward, scared maybe, but we hope ahead! On we go!
Below is from the book, Your Promises From God Today:
THINK ABOUT IT: When the outlook for your future looks uncertain, it can be scary. It can drive you to your knees. We live in a culture that values independence so much that we often put that independence in place of or in front of God. The fact is that God is the only One who can help. He’s the one who designed the future and He knows everything about yours. Seek His wisdom and together you can mold the future.
TALK TO GOD: Lord, so much is out of my control. I thought I’s be standing on a firm foundation, secure in what the future would be. I don’t feel that way now. No matter what I do, it feels like things could easily fall apart. Please grant me Your Wisdom to manage the days and years ahead. Amen.
ACT ON IT: Take the Scripture listed here from Jeremiah 32:27 and repeat it every morning and every evening. Remind yourself that you are known to God and that He alone is your Lord. Arm yourself with His wisdom and arm yourself with His grace and love. Pass along your certainty of the future to those you love …all because you trust the One who is the God of every person on the earth. “I am the Lord, the God of every person on the earth. Nothing is impossible for me.” Jeremiah 32:27
Below are a few things the Bible says. This will help us when we don’t know what is ahead.
Love you, Teri
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back from living by you righteous order. Everything’s falling apart on me, GOD; put me together again with your Word. Festoon me with your finest sayings, GOD; teach me your holy rules. (Psalm 119:105)
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep safe. Psalm 4:8
I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid. John 14:27
O Lord, you are my lamp. The Lord lights up my darkness. 2 Samuel 22:29
Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified: do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you.”
“They will fight against you, but they will not defeat you, because I am with you to protect you!” says the Lord.
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13