To Smile at the Future

Proverbs 31
Wearefearfulaboutsomanythingsinthislife.Somefearsaresmallfears, onesthatwecanignoreifwetryorifwetalkourselvesoutofthem.Otherfears aremorepervasiveandseemtodominateandcontrolourlives.Therearedif ferenttypesoffear.Therearefearsthatmakeusjumpandtherearefearsthat keepusupatnight.Therearethefearsthatstickwithusalldayeverydayat thebackofourmindsandgiveusageneralsenseofanxiety. Whatissomethingthatyoufear?

She is not afraid of the snow for her household, For all her household are clothed with scarlet. Proverbs 31:21

Howdoyouusuallydealwithyourfear? Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future. Proverbs 31:25 Allofuswillexperiencefearinourlives,andifwearenotcareful,wemayfind ourselvesbeingcharacterizedbythatfearasitcontrolsourdailylives.How ever,thisisnotGodsintentionforourlivesaswomen.Twoversesspecifically indicatethattheProverbs31womanisnotfearful.Verse21saysthatsheis notafraidofthesnowforherhouseholdandverse25saysthatthewomanis clothedwithstrengthanddignityandshesmilesatthefuture.Insteadoffret tingorbeingworriedaboutwhattomorrowwillbring,sheisdoingwhatshecan toprepareandthentrustingGodwiththeoutcome. Theheartattitudebehindthisabsenceoffearisfaithandfocus. Whenyoulosefocus,whataresomeoftheliesthatyouhearinsideyou?

WeoftenfearwhenweloseourfocusonthetruthofGodsloveandpower, whatwearetobedoinginthehereandnow,andhowwecanbepreparing practicallyforthefuture. Wealsomustbelivinglivesofgrowingfaith.Wemusthandoverthethingsthat troubleusonebyonetotheLord,testingandprovingHisfaithfulness,andas wedo,wewillbecomemoretrustingandaccustomedtohandlingsituations withfaith. Notonlydoesfrettingandworryingwasteourtimeandenergy,butreally,we donthaveanyreasontofear.WhenweknowtheOnewhoisincontrolofthe universeandrecognizethatHedesiresgoodforus(Jeremiah29:11),wecan liveinfullassuranceandpeaceofmind. WehavealsobeentoldnottofearinScripture.Romans8:15saysthatwehave notbeengivenaspiritoffear.Philippians4saysbeanxiousfornothingand thefollowingversesactuallygiveusanalternativeoptiontoreplacethose thoughtsofanxiety,fear,andworry.Theseversessaythatwearetobethink ingaboutthingsthataretrue,honorable,right,pure,lovely,ofgood repute,anyexcellenceandworthyofpraise.Actually,thisreplacementof thoughtsisalsooftenusedasatechniqueinthefieldofpsychologyaspartof cognitivetherapy!

WedonotneedtofearbecauseweknowpersonallytheOnewhonotonly knowsthefuture,butcancontrolit,aswell. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 Fillingourmindswiththetruthofscripture,throughreading,studying,and memorization,isimportanttocombatthefearsthatbesiegeus.AsCharles Allensaid,"Theonlywaytoexpelonethoughtfromourmindsisbysubstituting amorepowerfulthought." Whatisyourgreatestfear?

Whatcanyoufillyourmindwithtohelpcombatthatfear?

Whyisitimportantforawomantocombatthefearfulnessthatsheexperi ences?Partiallybecausewearetoldnottobefearfulandbecauseitisanun necessarywasteoftimeandenergy,butalsobecauseoftheeffectthatfearful nesshasonothers.Whetheritiscontagioussquealsduringascarymovieora worrythatgrowsasitispassedalongfrompersontoperson,feariscontagious, andwemustbecarefulofwhatfearsweareencouragingtogrowinothers. Now,thisisnottosaythatitiswrongtohavefeelingoffear.Fearisanemotion wehavebeengivenbyGodandallofuswillexperienceit.Buttheproblems comewhenwehandlefearthewrongwayinsteadoftakingourfearstothe Lord,doingwhatHehasgivenustodointhesituation,andthendeliberately restingintheassurancethatHewilltakecareofthesituation(andinthiscase, restingcantakealotofwork!). Verse17saysthatthewomangirdsherselfwithstrengthandmakesherarms strong.Inthephrasemakesherarmsstrong,whichisalsotranslatedas strengthenethherarmsintheKingJamesVersion,thewordstrengtheneth actuallymeansphysicallyormentallyalertorcourageous.Weseefromtheex ampleoftheProverbs31womanthatattimesfearcanbepreventedthrough properplanningandpreparation.TheProverbs31womanobviouslyspenttime inpreparationforthefuturethatthenpaidoffwhendifficulttimescame. Atothertimesdisastermaystrikeunannouncedandthereisnothingthatwe couldhavedonetobeprepared. Thisalsodoesnotmeanthatwearetobeinconstantfear,flyingaboutmadly tryingtoprepareforeverytypeofemergencyoraccidentthatcouldpossibly happentousandthosearoundus.TheProverbs31womanseemstobegoing aboutherpreparationsinacalmandreasonedmanner.Shewaspreparingfor thesnowthatsheknewwouldcome,butnotwithaspiritofanxiety. Haveyoubeenpreparedyetstillhadfear?Whydidyoufear?

Scripturegivesusafewexamplesofwomenwhodealtwithfearsomesituations inawaythatisworthemulating. Esther,whenherpeoplewereindangerfortheirlives,insteadoffretting,went intoaction.Shedidnottakeonafatalisticattitude,butsoughtwhatshecould dointhesituationandobedientlytrustedtheLordbothtocareforherasshe riskedherownlifeandfortolookafterthesafetyoftheentirenationofIsrael. Exodus1recountsthestoryofShiphrahandPuah,twowomenaboutwhomwe

But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. Exodus 1:17

usuallyhearverylittle,butwhoexhibitedmuchwisdomandbravery.Theking ofEgypthadcommandedthesewomentoputtodeathanymalechildrenborn totheHebrewwomen,butShiphrahandPuahdidntfearthepoweroftheking ortheharmthatcouldbefallthemiftheyrefusedtodowhathehadinstructed. They,justastheProverbs31womandoes,fearedtheLordandtheyserved Godeventhoughtheycouldhavebeenplacingthemselvesindangerbecause ofit. Thesethreewomenareexamplesofdoingwhattheywereabletodotoina givensituation,thenleavingtheresultsofthesituationtotheLordandtrusting Himfullyfortheoutcome,justaswearetodo. Whatdoyouneedtodoinresponsetothislesson?

By Shannon Kinzie