Driving out fear

I am a worry wort. I try not to be...I know it is a sin. I read all the verses many times that remind me not to worry. I do okay for awhile, then before I know it, the worry creeps back in. I find myself worrying about silly stuff, stuff that hasn't even happened and probably won't happen, but I make up this ordeal in my head and get all anxious and flustered and then I snap out of it and think why do I do this to myself!?

So there is this flu going around, HINI (aka swine flu), have you heard of it? If you watch any kind of t.v. read newspapers, etc, you have. It's turned me into a germaphobic! I'm constantly squirting hand sanitizer on myself and my poor kids. I've got bottles of it everywhere...3 in my purse, 2 in my car, 1 in my kitchen, and 2 more in the cabinet for when we run out...which will be soon at this rate. :)

Craig swears he's already had swine flu. When we first moved down here, he had all the symptoms...fever, chills, cough, sore throat. The kids who are experiencing these symptoms at the college are being quarantined. Anyway, he was never tested for it, so we'll never know. Thankfully the kids and I didn't get whatever it was, even though we we're living in a 2 room tiny, little house.

So, I pulled out my devotion book for mothers, which I haven't read in years. And God is so good, he was talking right to me again. This devotion is about driving out fear...and just a side note, I'm home alone in our new house all night tonight. I'm scared. I hate to be alone, so again, this devotion was perfect for tonight.

"Okay, so I've accepted the fact that I'll never be perfect. But it's good to know that God's perfect love is available to me and that His love drives out fear. You know, as moms, we encounter a lot of fears concerning our children. We fear they won't develop properly when they are growing inside of us. We fear we'll do something wrong as parents. We fear they aren't learning like other children. We fear we aren't spending enough time with them..and on and on and on.

But Romans 8:15 tells us that we did not receive a spirit that makes us slaves to fear; rather we received the Spirit of sonship. That entitles us to the right to cry out to God as our Abba, Father. He wants us to run to Him when we're fearful. He wants to cast that fear right out of our hearts.

So, if you're struggling with fears of inadequacy, or if you're worried about your children to the point that your stomach is in knots (that's me)...run to God! Let Him replace your fear with HIs perfect love. Now that's a deal you can't refuse!" That devotion came from a book called "Daily wisdom for Mothers".

I can choose to spend my days worrying and being fearful of the unknown, or I can trust in my Almighty Heavenly Father, and bask in His perfect love, and enjoy the days knowing that He is in control! Not me.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear (and worry) . :)

Here's that right hand again...Isaiah 41:13 "For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand, and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you."

and again...Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."