a thought from Jen Miller
God will press, press, press within me a Biblical mantra that He wants me to ‘get’ – not just as a concept in my head, but as a reality in my day-to-day living. Recently, the mantra has been “faith over fear.” He also presses, presses, presses me to continually pour like water into others whatever mantra He’s pouring into me. We can see how sharing with others is part of getting “faith over fear.”
I’ve been extraordinarily fearful recently, due to various circumstances punching me in the gut, unexpectedly. Aren’t most gut-wrenching circumstances in life unexpected? Out of left field? Knocking the breath out of us? Knocking us down? Rendering us to our knees, pleading with God?
Does the “other shoe dropping” ever end? Not in this life!
As I’ve been pondering the concept of LIVING in faith over fear, “getting it” from my head into my lifestyle and sharing it with others, I’ve had to ask “How?” How does one embrace within the ugly realities of this life
“faith over fear?” Faith over fear is certainly a repeated, Biblical concept and commandment throughout scripture, and God doesn’t give us a directive without also giving us the “how to”:
Truth 1:
We can’t do it alone. We can’t embrace faith over fear by ourselves – alone.
A single strand may be strong in and of itself to a certain degree, but it
can easily be cut in two – divided, broken. God is all about unity and
against division. There are many references and examples in His Word
pointing to His principle of unity with others, and we in unity with Him –
all together.
I considered how many single strands it takes to weave a single braid. Only three. Three. Of the three, there’s always a center strand that the other two must wrap around (embrace tightly), to create a strong braid.
To make faith greater than our fears, we must have at least one other adult believer in our life who is committed to walk this difficult life journey with us, and together be committed to making GOD, through Jesus Christ, the CENTER strand.
When we weave three strands together into a braid, the single strands are no longer easily cut, no longer easily divided, because they are interwoven together, creating “one” tough cookie (cord)! This is why He
says in Ecclesiastes 4:12 “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.” But He continues in this verse by adding: “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
Together, with God as the CENTER, we can press through our individual and collective fears with true FAITH. Faith in Him, through Him, by Him… wrapped up tightly and powerfully in the principles and promises of His Word. “For God did not give us a spirit of fear [timidity], but a spirit of POWER, of LOVE and of a SOUND MIND [self-discipline].” 2 Timothy 1:7.
Thank you, God! Thank you for others who love me just as I am, for others who commit to walking this too-often scary life journey with me, and with YOU as the Center. Help us not simply to be satisfied with getting the concepts of the unity of three cords and faith over fear, but strive for LIVING as a cord of three, wrapped tightly around YOU.
ALL WOMEN, please visit us at: www.sara-ministry.com
MOMS OF MARINES, please visit us at: www.moms-of-marines-support.com
Copyright 2011 Jen Miller
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In 2010, God pressed in Jen to found Moms of Marines Support (M.O.M.S.), a national support network for Moms of U.S. Marines and Marine Recruits, daily growing in number, purposed to give mental, emotional, and spiritual support and encouragement in a faith-based Internet environment.
