This is a series on unpacking Matthew 14:22-34. This week, our focus is on verse 27 – “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Jesus to the disciples) Click here to read the first post in this series.
I lie on my back soaking in the tub, hair dancing around me like seaweed stuck against a plank.
I hear music that fills me up as I ruminate on beautiful words I just read in Anne Voskamp’s new book One Thousand Things.
I’m thinking so much about fear – how it entraps us, how it controls us, how it limits us until we don’t even realize it is so and we are stuck.
We must do something or it will surely eat away at our soul like a hungry cancer with relentless force. It won’t stop until we administer our own chemotherapy, our own poison against what is evil and the only place it can be found are among the thin pages of a thick book next to my bed.
And then I see it.
In the canned light above me, within the frosted plastic of it’s cover, I see a very much-alive spider trapped within the confines of the space it is in.
It walks one direction, believing to be free, until it runs smack into the other side of the light. Another wall.
How ironic.
Fear.
It entraps us. Blocks us within confines we don’t even see. We think we are free, we rejoice for a moment, then we walk into another barrier and more times than I care to admit, the root is submerged in fear.
I watch a while longer then contemplate asking my husband to take the light apart to free the spider. I know what his reaction will be and decide against it but determine I can no longer watch that arachnid walk from side to side trying to get out.
It’s brutal to watch others live in fear, too.
I move downstairs and decide it’s time for a snack of the beloved nectar derived from avocados.
I assemble the ingredients – the cilantro, the onion, the salsa, the salt. Cumin. And of course, the avocados.
Each negative emotion, thought, feeling I’ve ever had can be traced back to the root of fear. That sneaky pick-pocket of a thief.
My impatience with my children when we are running late and no one has any sense of urgency except for me? Traced back to the fear of not seeming like I have it all together, that maybe I’m NOT a perfect mother after all. (Which for the record, I don’t even come close.)
In the early years of our marriage, when I was convinced he would leave me after one petty argument? Traced back to the fear of abadonment.
I combine the ingredients of my beloved guacamole together and marvel at how I don’t enjoy any of them alone but mixed together, they become a choir of beautiful voices, voices I readily devour with contentment.
“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27)
The pieces of us are mixed together into a beautiful creation. Created in His image. Though we are flawed and He is not.
Yet He knows us so well because He is the Creator. Just like I know all of the pieces of the guacamole I’m making, He knows every ingredient of us – His masterpiece.
With over 20 verses in the Bible about fear, He created us to be fearful so we would look to Him, the only one who can allow us to take courage. Fear is just one ingredient that forces us to seek Him – to look to Him for guidance, for rest. For restoration, for repentance. For love.
And ironically, as I write, I wonder if fear isn’t sometimes a positive emotion, a catalyst that encourages us to get out of the boat. That tells us we might need to examine something further.
Perhaps it just depends on what we do with it. Like all of God’s ingredients that combine to create us, we must use what He has given us for good.
Fear, if used for good, can lead to freedom. Freedom leads to thanksgiving. Thanksgiving leads to joy. Joy leads to faithfulness that is contagious.
We apply courage. We recognize who He is. He walks beside us as we try not to be afraid.
And we are on that path to freedom.
You may recall that two weeks ago, I shared my latest obsession on guacamole. A few asked for my recipe.
Mommy on Fire’s Guacamole
4 avocados, peeled and smashed
Fresh cilantro*
Juice of one lime
Fresh diced onion
Fresh tomatoes or chunky salsa
Cumin – however much you desire!
Sea salt – same drill – however much you desire!
Mix together.
Eat with either Baked Tostitos Scoops or fresh veggies. Rice crackers are good, too!
Enjoy. Love. Relish all of those ingredients.
Other blogs to explore along with the Sisterhood?
Visit Marci at Overcoming Busy to learn more about “Cooking Once and Eating Twice” – totally making that Baked Potato Soup and Saucy Curry Chicken…
Cherie at Heart and Soul Reflections is also reading Anne Voskamp’s new book One Thousand Things and has great information regarding the (in)courage book club on this title that will begin on February 6.
Linking with sweet Jen from Finding Heaven for Soli Deo Sisterhood…
Fear is so powerful; I have acted completely against my nature out of fear. Thank you for reflecting on this verse, it truly touched my heart.
I came over from Finding Heaven.
Great post Natalie. Fear can be paralyzing without us even realizing that we can’t move forward… or even backward. Really, fear is not trusting God, isn’t it?
That fear issue….I think it has kept me from being obedient a many times. I try to recognize it now and as much as I want to fear it right out of my life instead of letting the Lord ‘take me thru the fire’ so to speak, I want Him to carry me thru and not let fear keep me from that which He has called. Like Jenny said, isn’t it not trusting Jesus?
This has given me a lot to think about…God created us to be fearful. But then, He says continually “do not fear.” So I’m wondering if the fear part came with the original sin — for Adam and Eve did not experience fear until after the partaking of fruit. It was when the world was revealed to them that they began to experience fear. Of course, we have that response built into us, and God did create us, and I think the ability to fear does push us toward the One who casts out the fear. And ultimately, what Satan intends for evil, God can redeem for good…(are you seeing the wheels turning — I so processing out loud here!) Way to make me think!
Holy cow, girl. Way to make ME think! I think you might be correct – perhaps He didn’t create us to fear and it is the world! I love this explanation…Just might need to use it on F2F Friday…Way to challenge me, friend! Hopping through the ladies and you tonight – house of kids today!
In 2 Timothy 1:7, it says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” So, I’m thinking that maybe He didn’t create us to be fearful, but He did give us the ability to feel, process, and then with His help, turn away from fear and instead turn to Him.
YES! Love it – you are so correct! Of COURSE He wouldn’t make us to be fearful.
Good material for F2F Friday – thank you, sweet one!
LOVE one someone out there makes me really think…Why can’t you move to Indiana?
Well, if I can’t MOVE there, maybe I can come visit. OR, perhaps we should have a SDG reunion one day! That would be fun!
LOVE that idea…Let’s talk to Erin…She has an awesome lake house! :)
“Fear, if used for good, can lead to freedom.” This is a great line, Natalie. I can think on several times in my life when I pushed through the fear to amazing places of freedom.
So, I happen to obcessed with homemade guacamole too. I think I could live off of it. I’ll have to try your version.
I totally agree. Things aren’t going just as they do in a movie and I freak out in front of my family. Yep, that’s fear that our life isn’t picture perfect. And really, it’s not supposed to be.
It was nice to be reminded that we are a materpiece. I mean, how often do creatures of God use that to describe themselves? But it’s true!
Read my most recent post, you’re in it! :)
Fear is a chain that is not easy to break free from…we know the words that will set us free, but we are afraid to take that first step!
Thank you for sharing…powerful post!
Maria.
Wow, I loved this. Fear. You awoke something inside me. I think we’ve talked before about the frantic drill sargeant mommy. (I don’t like that lady) I think fear and control are something I struggle with. Sigh.
Your guac sounds SO good right now. And thank you for the recipe. I think I’ll be making some of that goodness real soon.
How’s this week going?
I love that you wrote something so strong and powerful about fear…and it is beautiful too. I am one that lets fear control me at times and it makes em so angry and frustrated and yet I don’t do anything about it because….dun, dun, dun…I am to afraid too. I may need to put that verse as my next SSMT verse. I really need this year to be about freedom from fear too.
Thanks for the challenge my friend. <3
love your words…they make sense…letting it all soak in
btw…you are KILLING me with the guacamole…it is one of my FAVORITE foods and I am so hungry..lets pull up a chair and share some chips and guac shall we;)
xo