Is it possible to replace fear with trust in God? It just might depend on how long you listen when the coulda-woulda-shoulda tapes start replaying in your head.

Let’s focus on two things as we continue the conversation about letting go of past failures and hurts and learning to trust God for our future. You can see where this conversation started by clicking this link. First, we’ll look at how replaying the past pauses the future. Second, we’ll explore a tool (more like a secrete weapon!) to help turn off the replays or regret once and for all. Are you in?

When lies threaten to put your future on pause

I wonder if listening to those tapes has convinced you to stay put, safe where you are, putting off what God has planned for you. I can tell you that’s how it works for me if I let it happen. Then, the past can become quite comfortable.

Why is it so hard to trust in God for our future? Well, I think when we start trusting ourselves more than we trust in God, it becomes much easier to talk ourselves out of things. Confusing, I know but bear me for a minute.

Say you decide to start looking for a new job, write a book, go back to school, or start a ministry.  Then you start planning changes to make it happen, but doubt creeps in. Now, the lies start. Lies like, you’re not smart enough, don’t have the resources, not as good as (fill in the blank), or it’s just too late for you to start something new. They get so loud that you eventually believe them   and     stop      moving        forward.

Full stop.

You are stuck.

We become stuck because it’s safe and comfortable–NOT! The enemy would like nothing better than for us to keep listening to his lies replay until we trust ourselves more than we trust God. So let’s not risk failure or rejection again. We can protect ourselves this time just by staying where we are. Think about it. Have you been there before?

How long will you pause your future?

Stop the replay, Girlfriend!

Scripture gives us an effective tool to replace fear with trust.

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul tells us to destroy every proud obstacle that keeps us from knowing God. And that we are to capture our rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

• Is fear a proud obstacle? Is fear rebellious? It sure is when we use it to stay put instead of trusting God for the next step.
• Does fear keep us from knowing God? Yes, fear keeps us looking at ourselves, not Jesus.
• Is teaching our thoughts to obey Christ something like trusting God? YES! It is trusting God!

How to replace fear with trust in God:

• We can teach ourselves to capture rebellious thoughts by introducing them to the Word of God.
• Get into your bible and find a verse or passage that speaks to louder to your fear than the enemy does.
• Write them down on sticky notes and post them where you’ll see them often.
• Text them to yourself.
• Great for memorization–Take a screenshot of the verse or passage and make it your phone’s home screen wallpaper. Read it every time you pick up the phone. Before you know it, it’s locked in your memory.
• Then, when the coulda-woulda-shoulda tapes start, you use your secret weapon–the Word of God. Pray those verses or passages back to God or say them out loud to yourself.

This is a useful tool, so keep it sharp.

You have what you need in HIs Word. God made sure of it. Yes, it takes some work, but it is so worth it. And the more we practice, the stronger we become.

Remember, the letting go process is tough, and choosing to trust God in it is crucial.

Hit the record button and trust in God for your new story

Photo by Jonathan Farber on Unsplash

I’ll share 2 Timothy 1:7 with you here: For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love, and self-discipline. (NLT)

This verse continues to be amazingly effective for me, and it’s a good place to start, but it is just one of many. So be sure to keep adding to your arsenal.

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). He will settle your anxious thoughts and help you walk in confidence with Him.

Now you have a choice to make. Will you use your new secret weapon and begin trusting God? Or will you stay stuck on pause?

Jennie Allen’s book, Get Out of Your Head, is the inspiration for this post. Here’s where you can get it. The book fits right in with our conversation on Trusting God (Thanks, Jennie!) and should be required reading for those of us who tend to get stuck once in a while. I hope it blesses you as much as it has me and more. I am not an affiliate and will not benefit monetarily from your purchase.

Most weeks you can find me on these blog linkups: Inspire Me Monday, Grace and Truth, Tell His Story (on Liza Jordan’s site this weeK) and Five Minute Friday.

Slightly edited cassette reorder -Photo by Budgeron Bach from Pexels