Putting Aside Fear

In yesterday's #CornerstoneVerseOfTheDay, I talked about how there are many who don't submit to God for fear of what He will ask them to do. This verse talks about what we need to do with those fears. We are told to cast our cares on Him. The word cares is perhaps better translated as concerns or anxieties. Another word I saw assimilated to the original Greek word was distractions. That brings a new perspective.

Think back to Sheri's horse from yesterday. He is distracted by his concern over the bridge in the arena. To be a more effective horse he really needs to give that up. The bridge is in no way going to hurt or harm him. Yes, the footing changes from sand to wood when he steps on it. Yes, it makes noise different from the sand as he walks on it. Yes, he has to focus and step up on it. Yet these are all things that in any other setting does not bother him. Why this bridge gets him is beyond us. We are patiently working with him on it, but what we would really like for him to do is just get rid of this worry and fear. The things Sheri will be able to accomplish with him will be amazing, if he could quit worrying about that bridge. it is as bad as once they get to the south end of the arena where the bridge usually is he gets worried and all he can think about is getting out of that end of the arena.

As riders, we know that what causes this horse worry, fear, concern, and anxiety is something that should not be worried about at all, it is an irrational fear. The bride is safe, but he worries about it. We have to think of the things that the Lord asks us to do and we dig our heels in or do 180s to avoid. Most of our fears are unfounded and irrational. The ones that are rational, we have to remember that we serve a mighty, mighty God who will always have our back. We must remember one of the most well-known Psalm:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

David, as in David and Goliath David, went through some pretty dark times and he still wrote this. We must understand that the Lord goes before us, He goes behind us (Isaiah 52:12), and He walk beside us (Psalm 16:8). So why are we afraid? If the Lord has called us the Lord will equip us and will make the way for us. Many fear death, as in Psalm 23:4, but we cannot, for death is gain for those who believe (John 3:16, Philippians 1:21). So really, what are we afraid of?

As much as we want the horse to trust us, the Lord wants us to trust Him more. If you are resisting a calling from the Lord, put your fears aside; cast them on the Lord, and take that first step of faith. To cast your cares on the Lord, you give them to Him in prayer by naming them, telling Him why they are causing you concern and anxiety and telling Him that you are going to take the first small step of faith in the right direction. Your faith will be rewarded. We do this because we know that He cares for us. He knows our fears, but there is something about owning them and casting them to Him that works on our soul.

I had to walk such a path; first to get a roof on my barn, and then to get the indoor arena built. While building the indoor my husband was not working and had used up all his PTO due to an injury. He has a misdiagnosis and a failed surgery and we were calling the builders to get this thing built. I remember telling the Lord, "This is such a stupid time to be building." Yet I knew that was what we were supposed to be doing. The Lord met every. single. need. and expense. without fail. My obedience in faith moved the mountains of the world. That is what Jesus meant in Matthew 13:31-32.

Now go, and do likewise.