Fear Not, For I am with You
As many of my Facebook friends have heard, these past couple months have been a little crazy. It all started when the Lord opened up the door me to take a job working for the same company I am currently with only in Heath, Ohio. This new job will be only 3.5 hours from family, whereas we are currently 16 hours away. God created a position where none existed, specifically for me! And…the job included a company paid move package!
We put our house up for sale and it sold within just a few days with a full price offer. Inspections went smoothly and the house miraculously appraised for the full amount. Everything on this side of the move seemed to be going amazingly seamless.
About a week ago, the company flew my husband and I to Ohio for a house hunting trip. It was then that the doubts and fear began to creep in. Every house we looked at had 4-10 bids on it. People were bidding over the asking price. We thought we found the house for us and put a bid on it, only to be outbid by two cash offers. We looked into rentals only to find there was either a waiting list, or they were overpriced. We returned to Oklahoma not being any closer to finding a place to live than we were when we left.
We knew in our hearts that God would work everything out, but a few things here and there were cropping up and it was sure starting to look a bit scary in the natural.
This past Sunday, the worship team at our church was singing a song that declared, “I am not afraid, I am not afraid.” As I sang out and declared that line, I suddenly realized, I was afraid. Well….at least a little. I felt the dam inside my heart crack as the tears poured forth.
Suddenly, my mind was overwhelmed with doubt and the grasshoppers in the Promised Land turned to giants. I was reminded of an article a dear friend wrote, “Not a Grasshopper.” The pastor spoke a similar message in his sermon that day.
When faced with adversity, we are so quick to forget the powerful God we serve. We forget how He led us out of Egypt, provided for us in the desert, and conquered our enemies. All we see is that there are giants in the land that was promised to us that make us feel like a little grasshopper in comparison. It is easier to return to what we know and are comfortable with than to stand and walk in His strength.
This is a lesson I seem to continually come back to! It is so easy to walk in faith when things are going well, but when adversity comes?? We see similar examples all throughout the Bible.
The awesome part is, we are not alone and we don’t have to be afraid. God has a plan for each of us. He holds us in the palm of His hand, and guess what? Nothing catches Him off guard or causes Him to be out of sorts!
So, the next time you start to focus on the giants in the land, join me in remembering “You are NOT a Grasshopper!” God has called us to do great and mighty things. He will walk with us through every situation.
Matthew 6:31–33
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Philippians 4:6–7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you g
