So tonight in Grow Group we were talking about fears since it is pretty close to Halloween. We were talking about how sometimes God gives us these fears and puts us in situations as a way to restore us. We then started talking about how a lot of our fears come down to control. We also talked about how we know a ton of the things God does and how He loves us and is always with us but yet we don’t always believe it. It’s kinda like we know it yet can’t apply it. I recently named most of my problems such as the feelings of not being good enough, feeling alone, feeling unloved, etc as being a “battle of the mind” type of issue. And essentially that’s what it is. You’re fighting your thoughts and trying to change them because you know they aren’t true. This tends to end up being harder than it seems. I don’t really have any good advice for you all on this matter because I am still struggling with this myself, however, I can tell you to take the encouragement from others to heart. When someone says “You’re beautiful” or “I love you” you should believe them. I know sometimes it can be hard to do if you don’t feel you are what others are saying you are but try your best to believe them and also thank them and express how you feel towards them as well. No one wants to be the giver and then not be able to get anything back from you (I know because I generally find myself as mainly the giver and I feel like I don’t really get much back from others). I mean yeah it’s great to be the giver and I love being the giver. Knowing you are helping someone else and encouraging them makes you feel great, however, it is quite draining if you’re not also on the receiving end at times.
This whole topic of fear made me think of the song Courageous by Casting Crowns. I know the song was mainly written about the men in the church stepping up and taking hold of their families and serving the Lord but I think it could apply to this as well. I feel like the chorus can really apply. It talks about taking back the fight which kinda could apply to spiritual warfare as well as the “battle of the mind” thing I was talking about earlier. We can reclaim our thoughts because thoughts about not being loved, feeling alone, and feeling worthless ARE NOT from God and we can change them into the thoughts of God. Then we will be able to see ourselves as worth something because God does. He has a purpose, He loves us, and He will never leave us alone. The other thing is the line that says, “the only way we’ll ever stand is on our knees with lifted hands.” We talked a bit about this tonight in Grow Group as well.We said that God allows certain things to happen so we would turn back to Him and allow Him to restore us. We don’t necessarily need to understand why He’s doing it at the time but we do need to turn to Him and listen to what He’s trying to say to us and let Him teach and restore us to the way He wants us to be. We can find our courage through Him and He will restore us!
We were made to be courageous
We were made to lead the way
We could be the generation
That finally breaks the chains
We were made to be courageous
We were made to be courageous
We were warriors on the front lines
Standing, unafraid
But now we’re watchers on the sidelines
While our families slip away
Where are you, men of courage?
You were made for so much more
Let the pounding of our hearts cry
We will serve the Lord
We were made to be courageous
And we’re taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight
The only way we’ll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous
This is our resolution
Our answer to the call
We will love our wives and children
We refuse to let them fall
We will reignite the passion
That we buried deep inside
May the watchers become warriors
Let the men of God arise
We were made to be courageous
And we’re taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight
The only way we’ll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous
Seek justice
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God
In the war of the mind
I will make my stand
In the battle of the heart
And the battle of the hand
In the war of the mind
I will make my stand
In the battle of the heart
And the battle of the hand
We were made to be courageous
And we’re taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight
The only way we’ll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous
We were made to be courageous
Lord, make us courageous
Beautiful Masterpiece 