Timidity ain't so cute
"Anne Shirley:
Can't you even imagine you're in the depths of despair?
Marilla Cuthbert: No I cannot. To despair is to turn your back on God."
~Anne of Green Gables (the film)
As I went to bed last night, I was talking to God. I thanked Him for being amazing, for that's who He is! Also I was reviewing the incidents of the day and the Holy Spirit let me recognize something, an action, that was based in a little bit of timidity. I found myself asking God for forgiveness. Why? Not because I wished I was more brave, or performed the task perfectly, but what it meant I believed about my awesome God. "Sorry God that I didn't believe you are big enough for me to step out of timidity, believing who you say I am, and Your power backing behind your instruction." He reassured me in His awesome loving way, that splinter of a lie needed to be removed so that it would not spread...the lie that timidity was...in a weird way, cute. Nip that lie in the bud!
Then I thought of the Anne of Green Gable quote above. Marilla's quote stated, "To despair is to turn your back on God." Now, I wasn't really thinking of it in a "I'm such a rotten sinner" kind of way, but like an epiphany, timidity is just a glossed over version of fear & despair--fear to what the outcome would be (or even in a deeper sense an identity issue) AND to despair (and some senses give-up) before the outcome has revealed itself.
Sounds so heavy for such a small word but none-the-less, more damaging than appears. And it's true...if you know and have experienced God's character, to despair or fear, is turning your back on God and accepting lies against God from something other than Him! These are lies that the enemy wants to feed and keep us believing.
Timid is a word that is used as the "not so harmful" sibling of fear, anxiety and despair, but when you really tear off the superficial guises, the root and substance is the same. Maybe its used in ways to make ourselves feel "better" about ourselves or give an excuse for people to become comfortable or not to change toward God's goodness.
In scripture it says,
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."
~2 Timothy 1:7
Thank you Jesus for giving us the ability to conquer anything in Him, for Him and by Him!
"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them... There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
~1 John 14:16,18
Some people may argue that situations don't feel like the fear has gone away when seeking God. Why is that? Well, that may be because they are still holding onto fear/allowing fear to take over rather than taking a stand with the armor of God.
There's also an active part in a battle: Faith in God in who He says He is and also letting go/not partnering with the fear once you recognize it for what it is. This faith doesn't have to look like you are defeating this struggle all by yourself, but you call on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of our faith! He is the very center and essence of the armor: our truth, our salvation, in whom we can have faith in, he is the word and the gospel of peace!
" As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
~Romans 8:36-39
Marilla Cuthbert: No I cannot. To despair is to turn your back on God."
~Anne of Green Gables (the film)
As I went to bed last night, I was talking to God. I thanked Him for being amazing, for that's who He is! Also I was reviewing the incidents of the day and the Holy Spirit let me recognize something, an action, that was based in a little bit of timidity. I found myself asking God for forgiveness. Why? Not because I wished I was more brave, or performed the task perfectly, but what it meant I believed about my awesome God. "Sorry God that I didn't believe you are big enough for me to step out of timidity, believing who you say I am, and Your power backing behind your instruction." He reassured me in His awesome loving way, that splinter of a lie needed to be removed so that it would not spread...the lie that timidity was...in a weird way, cute. Nip that lie in the bud!
Then I thought of the Anne of Green Gable quote above. Marilla's quote stated, "To despair is to turn your back on God." Now, I wasn't really thinking of it in a "I'm such a rotten sinner" kind of way, but like an epiphany, timidity is just a glossed over version of fear & despair--fear to what the outcome would be (or even in a deeper sense an identity issue) AND to despair (and some senses give-up) before the outcome has revealed itself.
Sounds so heavy for such a small word but none-the-less, more damaging than appears. And it's true...if you know and have experienced God's character, to despair or fear, is turning your back on God and accepting lies against God from something other than Him! These are lies that the enemy wants to feed and keep us believing.
Timid is a word that is used as the "not so harmful" sibling of fear, anxiety and despair, but when you really tear off the superficial guises, the root and substance is the same. Maybe its used in ways to make ourselves feel "better" about ourselves or give an excuse for people to become comfortable or not to change toward God's goodness.
In scripture it says,
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."
~2 Timothy 1:7
Thank you Jesus for giving us the ability to conquer anything in Him, for Him and by Him!
"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them... There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
~1 John 14:16,18
It is so amazing that the solution to fight back fear is perfect love. And where is that source? God, himself! If you find yourself in a place of timidity, anxiety, anxiousness, fear, then reflect and seek the presence of God, himself, because you'll be in the presence of perfect love.
Some people may argue that situations don't feel like the fear has gone away when seeking God. Why is that? Well, that may be because they are still holding onto fear/allowing fear to take over rather than taking a stand with the armor of God.
There's also an active part in a battle: Faith in God in who He says He is and also letting go/not partnering with the fear once you recognize it for what it is. This faith doesn't have to look like you are defeating this struggle all by yourself, but you call on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of our faith! He is the very center and essence of the armor: our truth, our salvation, in whom we can have faith in, he is the word and the gospel of peace!
If you are holding onto fear and trying to go into the presence of God you're already pre-rejecting God's perfect love in mistrust, but if you let go and hold onto JESUS, that's a different story! God has given you the authority, in Jesus, to rid yourself of these things, and also be transformed in God's presence--in Him! Each time you are touched by God, transformed by Him, you will let go of doubts and things not of God each time.
" As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
~Romans 8:36-39
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