DELIVER.
FEAR
Fear is an ugly monster that grows inside the human mind and whose only accomplishment is human failure. How many times have you missed out on a great opportunity because you were nervous about what others would think of you? You didn't walk out of that movie that was making you uncomfortable, or you didn't speak up in your meeting when you had something to say. Maybe you didn't talk to that cute girl that sat by you in your huge statistics class or you didn't turn your hazards on and get out of your car to help the mother and daughter trying to push theirs. What if what you had to say was dumb, the girl didn't like you, or the traffic behind you got mad that you were holding them up? What if...what if. How many times is your failure to act based on a fear, however small it may be, that has grown in your mind?
Imagine how much you could accomplish were fear eliminated from your life. How much of an impact could your life have on others if you were suddenly freed from fear's slavery? What if you knew you could be delivered from it? Maybe I'm only speaking to a few who have felt the same way I have: fear has too often made my decisions for me.
The well-being of the world requires a bit of every one of us. There are differences that need to be made and there is progress to begin. There are people in the world who need you. Fear is too often the chain that holds us back.
MIGHTY UNTO DELIVERANCE
1 Nephi 1:20: "...Behold I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto deliverance."
Good news? Yes. And the all of Nephi's writings in the Book of Mormon are dedicated to teaching that simple fact: you can be made mighty unto deliverance (from danger, from sin, and from your own fears). Even after our resolve to not let fear decide anything for us, we still struggle. But the faith we show by even desiring to have that determination can enable the God in Heaven to reach down and "make [us] mighty even unto deliverance."We can be delivered from the slavery of fear. Deliverance is not only reserved for redemption from sins, but is offered to make us mighty people.
Ether 12:27: "...I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
As much as we'd like to just have a switch flipped and fear banished, our omniscient Father does it a different way: he trains us to use our agency and face our fear by allowing all kinds of things to happen to us, good and bad.
A group of people in the Book of Mormon had many heavy burdens thrust upon them while they were enslaved to another king. When they humbled themselves before God and asked for help, this is what happened:
Mosiah 24:15: "And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yeah, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."
They were made mighty unto deliverance. Although they were eventually freed from their oppressors, they first were made strong to bear the burdens they already had. Whether public speaking scares you to death or you don't apply for that job because you think there are too many others better than you who will get it, remember that I invited you to do this: Decide that fear won't make your decisions for you--write it down-- and then obey God so he can deliver you from your fear and turn your weaknesses into strengths. If you're not sure if you believe that, try it and see what happens.
Fear is an ugly monster that grows inside the human mind and whose only accomplishment is human failure. How many times have you missed out on a great opportunity because you were nervous about what others would think of you? You didn't walk out of that movie that was making you uncomfortable, or you didn't speak up in your meeting when you had something to say. Maybe you didn't talk to that cute girl that sat by you in your huge statistics class or you didn't turn your hazards on and get out of your car to help the mother and daughter trying to push theirs. What if what you had to say was dumb, the girl didn't like you, or the traffic behind you got mad that you were holding them up? What if...what if. How many times is your failure to act based on a fear, however small it may be, that has grown in your mind?
Imagine how much you could accomplish were fear eliminated from your life. How much of an impact could your life have on others if you were suddenly freed from fear's slavery? What if you knew you could be delivered from it? Maybe I'm only speaking to a few who have felt the same way I have: fear has too often made my decisions for me.
The well-being of the world requires a bit of every one of us. There are differences that need to be made and there is progress to begin. There are people in the world who need you. Fear is too often the chain that holds us back.
1 Nephi 1:20: "...Behold I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto deliverance."
Good news? Yes. And the all of Nephi's writings in the Book of Mormon are dedicated to teaching that simple fact: you can be made mighty unto deliverance (from danger, from sin, and from your own fears). Even after our resolve to not let fear decide anything for us, we still struggle. But the faith we show by even desiring to have that determination can enable the God in Heaven to reach down and "make [us] mighty even unto deliverance."We can be delivered from the slavery of fear. Deliverance is not only reserved for redemption from sins, but is offered to make us mighty people.
Ether 12:27: "...I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
As much as we'd like to just have a switch flipped and fear banished, our omniscient Father does it a different way: he trains us to use our agency and face our fear by allowing all kinds of things to happen to us, good and bad.
A group of people in the Book of Mormon had many heavy burdens thrust upon them while they were enslaved to another king. When they humbled themselves before God and asked for help, this is what happened:
Mosiah 24:15: "And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yeah, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."
They were made mighty unto deliverance. Although they were eventually freed from their oppressors, they first were made strong to bear the burdens they already had. Whether public speaking scares you to death or you don't apply for that job because you think there are too many others better than you who will get it, remember that I invited you to do this: Decide that fear won't make your decisions for you--write it down-- and then obey God so he can deliver you from your fear and turn your weaknesses into strengths. If you're not sure if you believe that, try it and see what happens.
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