Twice recently I’ve been reminded of 2 Timothy 1:7 about fear. And twice, the comments around this verse have been that fear doesn’t come from God. That truth means I don’t have to acknowledge the fear. It isn’t true. I can dismiss it and put my eyes back on Jesus. What a relief!

But fear is powerful, like an unexpected ocean wave, and as captivating as a dreaded medical report. It can linger, and it is such an unwelcome emotion.

God is a daily God. He has everything I need. All that my great and personal God requires of me is to live today. Just today. Living in the future is tempting, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) is required to keep my mind from having too much freedom. Otherwise, I will live there in my mind instead of living today in all its reality.

Active actions send my brain a different message, and I’ve found that as I start them, my mind absorbs the truth of the actions as I do them. Peace emerges. Sometimes immediately. Sometimes, I need to develop some of these actions as habits and let God’s Holy Spirit work to transform my mind (Romans 12:1-2).

I recommend you try one or two of these active actions to send a message to your rapid thoughts to slow down, and a truth-filled message to your mind. Win over fear by drawing closer to Jesus and feel the difference as your mind is transformed.

Active Actions:

Pray – I write a good bit about prayer on this blog. When I get on my knees, I feel I’m talking to God rather than at Him, and the position encourages listening. You may not be able to get on your knees, but if you can, try it. I have found it transformative. A sense of safety and connection with God permeates it, different from praying on my couch.

Write Scripture – The act of doing this brings immediate peace. The reason is that God’s Word is alive and active, and it works in supernatural ways as you write. Writing requires you to slow down, and it has benefits of its own, like comprehension and absorption.

Do the next thing – I believe Elizabeth Elliot spoke this morsel of wisdom. There’s always something to do. A chore, something you’ve avoided, like exercise or writing a note. Feed the pet, plan a meal, brush your teeth, sing a song of praise, pray, and read your Bible are just starters.

Remind yourself of all you have in Christ – Read Ephesians 1, write Ephesians 1, make a list from the chapter of all you’ve gained in Christ and how much He loves you.

Sing – You do not have to have a good voice. In His Word, God commands us to sing. Find Christian music and sing. Added activity – look up scripture that commands His children to sing.

Helpful links:

https://valerierumfelt.com/2023/01/29/you-will-love-scripture-writing/

https://valerierumfelt.com/2022/06/30/the-practice-of-prayer/

If you look back over the article, there are several phrases about the mind. That is because fear begins there and has to stop there. The mind is central command. Get control of your mind by the power of the Holy Spirit. Don’t believe every thought.

©Valerie Rumfelt