May 9th, 2008 
Dana Fisher For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7
God’s up there right now with a great sense of humor just chuckling away. At least that’s how I feel in my life. I’m never used in the ways I envision or things I think would be best. And there’s a flaw in that last sentence…”I”.
Isn’t it true of all of us that the situations we’re placed in stretch us just a bit outside our comfort zone if we are doing what He asks? Each time making us more and more well rounded.
I struggle with this one a lot simply because I’m not a very outspoken person. If I know you and I’m comfortable with you my personality blossom’s but throughout my life I’ve been a shy, laid back personality, content in my own world.
As I’ve grown and matured and followed God’s direction in my life I’ve been far more confident in the area’s I’m most weak. And as Christians we need to do the same, just as Timothy says in his second letter. That fear you feel is not from the Lord.
This past week I’ve been challenged to open up and share and it’s been a tough transition for me. I find that, looking back, I’ve been hurt by Christians more often than non-Christians and it hurts my ability to open up.
Two specific situations arose this week that forced me to open myself and reveal pieces of myself that I sometimes would rather leave alone. And it wasn’t as if it could have been two similar situations, making the 2nd a little easier because I had already done it once. Nope, God gives me two very unique ones.
There are a lot of Catholics at my work and as I took a walk outside during lunch I felt the need to share about my church with a co-worker. It went well and then as we got inside again I froze and didn’t share with others who had asked what we had talked about.
I have lately felt a calling to speak to a particular individual. Not normally a big deal but it’s a situation where I feel I could be embarrassed and for any of us that can be a scary thought. As I sat talking to someone I saw the person standing alone. In my head I thought, naw, and kept talking. It seemed as though time slowed. Seconds became minutes and I looked up again and they were still there. I knew it was time.
And I’ll be honest. After taking those steps over there and having the conversation I do feel a bit embarrassed and confused. Did I do the right thing? Did I say the right thing? Was it actually His timing?
When a situation arises like this and your confused prayer and reading the Bible work wonders. And I’m not talking open it up and stick you finger in a page, or one quick prayer of “I hope I made the right decision”. I’m talking much prayer, much reading, much seeking.
2 Timothy came to mind, that the Lord didn’t give me a spirit of fear. If He asks me to do something the fear comes from Satan trying to prevent me from doing the will of the Lord. God gives me the power to do it and the Spirit to guide my words(John 16:13)
I’ve been praying hard about that second situation, concerned that I made the wrong decision, hoping that I made the right one. Normally I’m not so upset about these types of things but this one really stuck with me. As I went to lunch yesterday I decided to bring my Bible in to the restaurant and read and I felt an overwhelming desire for Matthew 7. As I read, Matthew 7:7-8 popped out like it was bolded and as if it started with “Dana, Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” And I guess I didn’t take it to heart as well as I should have because today my daily Bible verse was Matthew 7:7!
Talk about being smacked in the face with something. Sometimes I feel like the answers are right in front of me if I will just take a moment to stop frantically scanning around wildly and just focus on what is directly in front of me, Jesus Christ. I will continue to seek and ask, believing that I will receive.
Daniel 10:12-13 talks about an Angel sent to Daniel as an answer to his prayers to God and how that Angel was caught up with a demon for 21 days fighting to keep him from coming. If Daniel had just given up praying on day 11 or day 20 would his answer have come?
I’d encourage anyone to start a prayer journal. It’s a great way to remember all the items with which to place at God’s feet every time you pray. Pray without ceasing(1 Thessalonians 5:17) and God will hear you and answer your prayers.
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