Becoming a Woman of Faith

You basically have two options: to be a woman of worry, fear and anxiety, or to become a woman of faith. Maybe you’ve got the first one nailed, and feel the need to move on to the other. What’s the holdup? Why do we worry?

1. We think: “It’s all up to me.”
2. We imagine the future without Jesus.
3. We imagine the future with Jesus, but don’t believe that He'll really help.

How do we move from worry, fear and anxiety to faith? Here are three things that have helped me let go of fear and walk in faith:

1. Stories in the Bible of how God rescued people out of problems.
2. Stories in the Bible of how God sustained people in problems.
3. Stories in the Bible of how God delivered people into heaven.

Note the common theme that God is acting on our behalf, and He is with us—even to the end. He told us he’d never leave us or forsake us, (Hebrews 13:5), so that should alleviate 100% of our anxiety right there. The God of the universe is with us! Why are we worried?!Further, God put these stories of people just like you and me in the Bible to build our faith. When you read and study it, you learn how God rescued people, He sustained them, and He delivered them into His kingdom. Then over time, His Spirit will bring these examples to your mind to encourage you when you are worried or fearful that He will act for you, too. (Isaiah 64:4 “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.”)Now, the next thing that has given me immense help is journaling through worry, fear and anxiety. According to 1 Peter 5:7, we are to cast all our anxieties upon Him, because He cares for us. So write down your list of anxieties. Then pray, watch, and write down how Jesus intervenes in each situation. This log then becomes your own “faith history,” of how He rescued you and sustained you. (I’m thinking you won’t be writing down how He delivered you into heaven--you’ll probably need to leave that story to someone else.)One of my favorite "worry stories" happened about 12 years ago, when Bill was sick with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and had resigned his pastor position and was on long-term disability. Things were generally not looking real positive on any number of fronts. Then one morning, I walked into my kitchen and slosh, slosh, slosh. I detected a mild water problem. On the floor. Everywhere. Of course we had just installed a laminate floor (dumb idea in a kitchen) and it was ruined. The tubing from the refrigerator ice maker  had ruptured, and upon investigation, it was caused by a mouse. Plus, we found out that our insurance company wouldn't pay for damage caused by vermin. Neat. So now, not only was I a sketchy housewife for letting a mouse use my ice maker tubing as a straw, my homeowner's policy wasn't going to help me fix the mess.Who would?I sat down that night and wrote in my journal: One prayer request: our floor was ruined in the kitchen when mice chewed through the water line from the faucet to the refrigerator. Water got under the wood floor and buckled it up. Please Lord, provide for us there.The next day I went to the mailbox and there was a card from a friend of mine. In it was a check that fully covered the replacement cost for the floor.That night I wrote in my journal: Thank you, Lord so much for the confirmation that You hear and You act, and You provide answers to prayer. Thank you so, so much."He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you." Isaiah 30:19bHow did God rescue or sustain you in a time of worry and anxiety? How does that help you trust Him more?