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By Lisa Jordan
Over a decade ago, I had been driving home, and my heart was heavy with recent news my husband had given me—the company where he worked was downsizing. As I turned by our local hospital to head back to my house, I remember praying and asking God to protect my husband against the impending layoffs. Even though I worked full-time, we still needed his income, especially his insurance, to meet our monthly budget.
A couple of weeks later, my husband came home in the middle of the day with a look on his face that I will never forget—due to the economic downsizing, he had lost his job…and our insurance.
I remember lamenting to God, “What about the prayer I prayed? Remember what happened last time, Lord?”
That was in 2009, and it was the first year I chose One Word as a focal point for prayer and goals. My One Word for that year was change.
And we were about to face a lot of it.
Not only had my husband lost his job, but after working ten hours a day and going to school online at night, I had graduated from college at the age of 40. Our oldest son graduated high school a month later, and at the end of August, he headed off to college.
Change was Happening
More than that, God was beginning a change within me that has continued to grow and mature. He had a plan, one to prosper us and to give as a hope and a future. He continued to provide for us. God provided Hubby with different jobs, then presented him the opportunity to go back to school to get his business degree. That opened the door for his current job where he has been for the last eight-and-a-half years…with fantastic insurance. He met every need in different ways, and I learned a lot about trusting Him with my fears.
During that time, different fears took up residence in my head. So many “what if” scenarios played out like movies. Fear does that—it takes your thoughts captive and almost strangles them with distorted reasoning about events that may not have even happened yet! We tend to get so caught up in the future may hold that we forget to focus on God in the present.
Fear does that—it takes your thoughts captive and almost strangles them with distorted reasoning about events that may not have even happened yet! #tellhisstory #facingfears Click To TweetMatthew 6:34 reminds us,
Ain’t that the truth!!
As 2020 came to a close, I started considering my One Word for 2021. At the beginning of this year, I looked over my list of One Words and realized how they built upon each other to strengthen my trust and my faith. And it wasn’t always easy.
After a very dark 2020, we need more Light.
How Do We Shine Our Lights in the Face of Fear?
We all deal with different types of fears. Even though we try to keep our trust in God, we are imperfect humans. I’m not going to list a bunch of ways to combat your fears because each one of us is different. If fears and anxieties are affecting the quality of your life, then please seek professional help and guidance—those resources are one way God provides a way out from under the weight of those burdens.
Even though we try to keep our trust in God, we are imperfect humans. #tellhisstory #facingfears Click To Tweet
However, I will share the most important way to keep shining your light in the face of fear—stay plugged into the Source.
A nightlight illuminates the path in the middle of the night, but if that nightlight isn’t plugged into the power source, then it isn’t able to do its job.
The same goes with our lights—if we aren’t plugged into the Source on daily basis by feeding on the Word and conversing with God through prayer, then our lights will flicker and dim. The darkness of the world can snuff us out completely.
The Necessity of Shining our Light
Shining our light is necessary to glorify God in the midst of the attacks from the enemy. When we love unconditionally, show grace continuously, serve without motive, and give all the glory to God, then our lights will shine bright, illuminating a way to the One who has modeled how we need to live our lives.
As Matthew 5:16 reminds us, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
God is our Light Source, and without Him, we will walk in darkness that steals our joy and escalates our fears. The choice is yours—how will you shine your light in the face of your fears?
What about you? What stands in your way of shining your light in the face of fear? How does shining your light help you to overcome your fears?
Bio: Heart, home, and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories with those elements come naturally. Represented by Cynthia Ruchti of Books & Such Literary Management, Lisa is an award-winning author for Love Inspired, writing contemporary Christian romances that promise hope and happily ever after. Her latest book, A Love Redeemed, released in September 2020. She is the operations manager for Novel Academy, powered by My Book Therapy. Happily married to her own real-life hero for over thirty years, Lisa and her husband have two grown sons. When she isn’t writing, Lisa enjoys family time, kayaking, good books, and being creative with words, fibers, and photos. Visit her at lisajordanbooks.com
This week, I’m linking up with Grace and Truth, Anita Ojeda, and #Instaencouragements. Come join and read more encouraging posts!
Hi Jeanne and Lisa … I’ve been appreciating your posts on fear because most of us have experienced this emotion in its various forms more than occasionally in this season.
Putting it all out on the open on the table is a great help in realizing that we’re not alone, that God still reigns, that He invites us to release our lives in every way, shape, form, and emotion to Him.
Bless you both.
Linda, thank you for your words of encouragement. You’re so right. When we are honest about our fears, and when we invite others in to help us deal with them, our perspective often shifts to where we see God with us in the midst of the circumstances or situations triggering the fear. I loved your insight here, friend.
“He met every need in different ways, and I learned a lot about trusting Him with my fears” – this blessed me. Fear makes us think the worst when changes are happening but God actually already has a plan to meet every need, if only we’d trust.
Wemi, please forgive my delayed response. You’re right about fear . . . it does make us think the worst when changes are happening. It’s such a comfort to know that God is always working His plans in our lives, even when we don’t see what He’s doing or how He’s working.
My husband has suffered several job loses in recent years. As a spouse it can be very disconcerting. Thank you for sharing your story.
Lauren, please forgive my delayed response. I am sorry your family has worked through so many job losses. They are definitely unsettling for the family. Thanks for sharing a bit of your story here.
Shine the light of God. Amen. Thank you for sharing your heart with us.
Melissa, thank you for always being a light here!
This was very encouraging, Lisa. Thank you!
Thanks for reading and stopping by, Kathy!
Thank you, Lisa. I love the picture of plugging into our light Source. So needed. It can be hard to keep trusting sometimes, but I’m grateful God is so patient with us imperfect humans. Thank you for this encouraging message. And thank you, Jeanne, for refreshing my heart with your photos. 🙂 Love and blessings to both of you!
Trudy, the picture of plugging into the Source is powerful. I’m with you, so thankful our Father is patient with us. I’m so glad you enjoyed the photos. Hugs, friend.
Lisa, some important truth here about shining our light in the darkness to defeat the enemy. Sometimes I forget that and succumb to the darkness. Rejoicing at the reminder of how God does answer our prayers, just not always the way we thought (or hoped) He would!
Donna, I have been one to succumb to darkness too. We have to choose to look toward the light in those seasons, don’t we? I loved Lisa’s story about how God answered her prayer. His ways truly are higher than ours.
Oh Jordan, I LOVE your word for 2021. There are so many references to light in the Bible and many of them have slightly different connotations. We certainly need all the light we can get in 2021, especially after much of 2020 seemed so dark. I tend to do the “what ifs” too until I can remind myself…God.
Laurie, isn’t Lisa’s word a great one?! I agree with you, we definitely need all to the light we can find in this crazy world we’re living in. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
Lisa, so beautiful. When I feel myself going down the what if track, over and over again, fear definitely rises and then I remind myself that God is bigger than my fears and my situation. I need to be plugged into His power and truth to overcome my fears.
Jeanne, love your winter photos.
Theresa, God has proven Himself over and over that He will meet our needs, so why do we waste the time in fear? Thankfully, His mercies and His compassion help us through our imperfect humanistic selves.
When what I’ve been placing my security in, such as my job and my relationships, begins to unravel I can go into fear! Thank you for the truth of who is our security Source. We do not need to fear.
You’re welcome, Lynn. I’ve allowed other distractions to steal my joy as well, so when I’ve gone back to the Source, His gentle reminders soothe my fears and fill me with Truth.
What encouraging words for such as time as we are living in right now! Staying plugged into the Source, He will shine His light through us when we are tuned into Him. And the photos are glorious too! Thanks for touching my heart today.
You’re welcome, Linda. Jeanne always has the perfect photos for her posts, doesn’t she?
A bulb by itself doesn’t do much. It’s easy to get unplugged and lose our power source, especially when we focus on what we can do on our own. Thank you for the reminder to stay plugged in.
You’re welcome, Anita. Sometimes we allow other distractions to unplug us from the Source, but when we make a focused effort to stay plugged in, we can shine our lights so others don’t have to walk in darkness.
Vulnerable words, Lisa. Similar circumstances have threatened to steal my joy in the past and surround me with fear. When I’m not “plugged into the Source”, fear overtakes me and wins. So thankful it’s possible to become fearless in Christ.
You’re so right, Karen. And I love that God understands our fears and continues to guide us through them.
It’s so important to keep shining the light of God’s truth against the darkness of our fears.
Absolutely, Barbara!
The passing days are rife with dread,
and terror rules the night;
wish I knew not what lies ahead,
but still, I’m gonna fight,
for fighting’s simply what I do,
perhaps ’tis why I’m here,
and when I’m dead and this is through,
there will be something clear,
that although cancer really sucks
it births one’s brightest days,
and terminal’s a stroke of luck
because it sharpens praise
for the One who trusted me
that I might in hell His blessing see.
Love your creativity, Andrew! Thanks for sharing it with us today.