The Fear of Failure
Most
of us struggle with different fears, worries and doubts. We find
things on daily basis to which we fixate our attention and obsess about
what might come and the effect that may have on our comfortable lives.
We know God tells us not to worry, not to be afraid, and we tuck that
information into the back of our minds. What we fail to realize is that
information alone will not change our attitudes or change our emotional
spiral into depression that comes from the constant fear of the
unknown. God wants us to live out His words. Our mind must be
transformed to think like Christ to even begin to overcome worry and
fear.
For me personally, I struggle with fear of failure. I become crippled at every major decision that our family faces because I am so concerned I may make the wrong decision and make a problem even bigger. I have even struggled with it to the point that even small decisions become problematic because of the fear that I may mess up. God certainly refines us through experiences. Becoming an attorney has definitely been God's humorous way of teaching me to get over myself. I am certainly in a profession where the unknown is prevalent on a daily basis. Not only is the future unknown for me, but now I am faced with the unknown for my clients! God knows me better than anyone ever could, and He has placed me where I am now in direct face-to-face combat with my sin nature.
What I found myself doing was attempting to control outcomes. My fearing the worst, I began to miss out on God's best. I began to identify myself not as God's child, but as a slave to the world. I totally began to miss the character of God in my life. Fear of messing up or failing keeps us from obeying God's will for our lives. At the end of the day, fear of messing up is the product of one simple sin - PRIDE. When we worry about what others may think, feel or believe about us, we will tend to make decisions based in pride rather than in God's obedience. When we fail to trust in God's Word and His plan for our lives, pride tends to tell us that we know better than He does and that we have better control over our lives than He ever could.
Understanding God's perfect grace and mercy is something I have failed to apply to my life, especially in the face of my fear. While I am perfectly knowledgeable of God's Word and what God says about his mercy and grace, I somehow do not think that will apply to me in the face of my decision-making. God's love for me is so great that He will take care of me not matter what decision has been made or what direction I take. Of course, He looks at my heart. If I am seeking Him, desiring His best, working to build His kingdom and reach others for Christ, what do I have to fear? What certainly could any man do to me in light of His wonderful plan for me?
I'm starting to get it. The anxiety is beginning to melt away. I'm beginning to work ahead for the bigger picture, not bog down in the details. I'm excited to experience life without the fear that has crippled me for so long. Watch out - mistakes and mess ups are on the way....but now I understand that God's sovereign plan has no bearing on little ol' me and His will be done despite my shortcomings.
As you start your week, may it be filled with hope and excitement knowing that an all-powerful, all-knowing God already exists in the details. Don't be afraid to make decisions. Don't be afraid to move forward in the face of adversity. Don't allow man to change God's calling on your life. Live without fear...decide to choose Christ.
For me personally, I struggle with fear of failure. I become crippled at every major decision that our family faces because I am so concerned I may make the wrong decision and make a problem even bigger. I have even struggled with it to the point that even small decisions become problematic because of the fear that I may mess up. God certainly refines us through experiences. Becoming an attorney has definitely been God's humorous way of teaching me to get over myself. I am certainly in a profession where the unknown is prevalent on a daily basis. Not only is the future unknown for me, but now I am faced with the unknown for my clients! God knows me better than anyone ever could, and He has placed me where I am now in direct face-to-face combat with my sin nature.
What I found myself doing was attempting to control outcomes. My fearing the worst, I began to miss out on God's best. I began to identify myself not as God's child, but as a slave to the world. I totally began to miss the character of God in my life. Fear of messing up or failing keeps us from obeying God's will for our lives. At the end of the day, fear of messing up is the product of one simple sin - PRIDE. When we worry about what others may think, feel or believe about us, we will tend to make decisions based in pride rather than in God's obedience. When we fail to trust in God's Word and His plan for our lives, pride tends to tell us that we know better than He does and that we have better control over our lives than He ever could.
Understanding God's perfect grace and mercy is something I have failed to apply to my life, especially in the face of my fear. While I am perfectly knowledgeable of God's Word and what God says about his mercy and grace, I somehow do not think that will apply to me in the face of my decision-making. God's love for me is so great that He will take care of me not matter what decision has been made or what direction I take. Of course, He looks at my heart. If I am seeking Him, desiring His best, working to build His kingdom and reach others for Christ, what do I have to fear? What certainly could any man do to me in light of His wonderful plan for me?
I'm starting to get it. The anxiety is beginning to melt away. I'm beginning to work ahead for the bigger picture, not bog down in the details. I'm excited to experience life without the fear that has crippled me for so long. Watch out - mistakes and mess ups are on the way....but now I understand that God's sovereign plan has no bearing on little ol' me and His will be done despite my shortcomings.
As you start your week, may it be filled with hope and excitement knowing that an all-powerful, all-knowing God already exists in the details. Don't be afraid to make decisions. Don't be afraid to move forward in the face of adversity. Don't allow man to change God's calling on your life. Live without fear...decide to choose Christ.
Posted 8th July 2012 by Lori
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