If this is your first time here, you can check out all the posts from the "So Long, Insecurity" Bible study series by clicking HERE. Jump in where you can, when you can!
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If you are following along in the print materials, this week's post and discussion questions are based on:
Book
Chapter 17: What Are You Afraid Of?
Chapter 18: A Clean Escape
Group Experience
Week Ten: Moving Past Our Fears
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As Beth wraps up her book, she gives us a quick and simple summary of all we need to take away from this study:
Trust God.
Trust God. That is ultimately what true security is all about. Simply trusting Him and not anyone or anything around us. It is trusting Him with yourself, your family, your job, your health, your friends, with your greatest threat.
Many of us interpret "trusting God" as "trusting Him to not allow bad things to happen". This is flawed because it is not true security. It is too conditional. What happens when bad things happen anyways?
I love Beth's openness as she shares a conversation between her and God about this very thing. As she was fretting over the possibility of her greatest fear coming true, God urged her to complete thought. Suppose it did come to pass; what would happen after that?
Beth shares:
"He and I both knew what I would do. I would be devastated at first. I would probably sin in my anger and say all sorts of things and act all sorts of way I would live to regret. I would feel inexpressibly lonely and rejected and probably old and ugly. But I knew that finally I'd go face-down before God just as I have a hundred other hard times, accept His grace and mercy, believe Him to take up my cause and work it together for good, and then I would get up and choose to live.... The excruciating emotional exercise was the best thing God ever could have asked from me..." (Chapter 17 pg 327-328)Ultimately, we need to realize and believe that security is not a life free from pain and struggle. Security is leaning on God, who will not allow any pain to be wasted, who can turn any devastation into something for our good and His glory.
We see a description of those who trust in the Lord in Psalms:
They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. Psalm 112:7-8They will have no fear of bad news. Bad news may come, but the secure will not fear it. There is freedom in living without fear because of the knowledge that, in the end, we will triumph!
So instead of asking, "What will I do if...?" the question should be, "What will God do if...?" Our reaction to fear of tragedy should not come from ourselves, but be based on God's response.
Beth graciously lists a series of God's promises. He will:
- perfect everything that concerns you (Psalm 138:8)
- work all things together for your good (Romans 8:28)
- contend with those who contend with you (Isaiah 49:25)
- fight this battle for you (2 Chronicles 20:15)
- equip you with divine power (2 Corinthians 10:4)
- delight to show you mercy (Micah 7:18)
- meet all your needs according to My glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)
- give you grace that is perfectly sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9)
- be your power in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)
- do immeasurably more than all you could ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within you (Ephesians 3:20)
So how do we know that God will work things for good? How do we get to the point of seeing Him prove Himself faithful?
In Psalm 27, we see David meditating on this very thing. What he really desired was to dwell in the house of the Lord, gazing on Him, living in intimate communion with Him. When we choose to live close to God, we see His goodness.
As we conclude this study, think about your greatest fears. What would be your response should they come to pass? What would be God's response? Decide now to never again let those fears determine how you think, feel or act. Decide to trust God and choose life in Him!
Bible Verses
Memorize: Proverbs 3:5-6
Reflect: Psalm 112:7-8
Psalm 46:1-3
Discussion Questions
1. What do you think trusting God really looks like?
2. What do you think would happen if your own worst fears became reality? Why does fear lose its power when we picture God with us on the other side our tragedies?
3. How would your life change if you stopped asking, "What will I do if...?" and started asking, "What will God do if...?"
4. Read Psalm 112:7-8. How is it possible not to live in fear of bad news? What do you think it means to "look in triumph" on our foes?
5. Read Psalm 46:1-3. What strikes you about the psalmist's trust in God in this passage?
6. What is your personal goal as you finish this study? In what ways have you decided to move forward in security?
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Feedback?
Thank you so much for joining me in this study! This is the first time I did a Bible study on my blog, and I can only hope it is was done in a way that was beneficial to you. I plan to do this again in the future (not sure when!), so would you take a minute to send me some feedback? Let me know what worked for you and what didn't...like the content, length of the posts, structure of the posts, etc...I'd love to read any comments or suggestions you may have so that next time your experience here will be even better. Thanks!
2 comments:
When I was reading about Beth's story of God taking her to that "worst case" place, I was reminded of when my counselor had me do a similar exercise (not fun), but Beth took it to another level with the idea of seeing ourselves and God on the other side of the scenario. I am definitely going to use that as an added tool when I feel anxious or insecure. My goal from here is to continue memorizing scriptures that are applicable to many areas of my life so that I can call them to memory any time I need them.
I also like the exercise Beth suggested. Fear DOES lose it's power when I think about what God will do in various situations. I know that regardless of the instabilities and hard times I face, He will comfort me, give me wisdom, supply me with strength, perform miracles... Nothing on this earth lasts forever, but God is eternally the same!
My goal from now on is to try to recall some of the tips Beth gave for rooting out insecurity and identifying triggers. I want to get used to recognizing the triggers more quickly and responding immediately with prayer and Scripture.
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