Freedom from the fear of Failure

For the last several tours I have noticed a negative change in myself. I have always been known as the girl who never gave up but here lately I seem to have thrown in the towel. I don't seem to have the same fight or resiliency as I use to. It is as if I was afraid to do anything out of fear that I would fail. I didn't even want to try because I just figured I was doing it wrong. I was afraid that I would be rejected and my fire would be snuffed out so I figured why even let it light. This has brought me to the point of ultimately short changing those around me by not being myself and not accomplishing (not even trying to) what God has ordained me to do and there for what I am capable of doing.

   I saw this change in myself and it really troubled me. I began seeking God about how I could fix this problem. I felt God tell me it was fear but this I did not make sense to me  because I felt  I wasn't lacking the faith to know God could do it through me. I figure since I knew this and still wasn't that it was just laziness. I began talking to mentors in my life and reading everything I could on fear. Then I found the connection was love, or the lack of the true acceptance of the love of God!

1John 4: 18 tells us the tremendously powerful message of perfect love cast out fear. So if I am afraid of something I must not have fully grasped the Love of God. Since God is this perfect love the scripture is talking about if I truly/completely am filled with the knowledge of this perfect love being for me than nothing in all of creation could cause me fear. In the Amplified Bible this verse reads: "There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full- grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown in to love's complete perfection]." 1 John 4:18 

     It is impossible to fear failure if you know that God loves you. You can't fail if you are dependent on God. The only way you can fail is if you are dependent on yourself. If you know that God loves you, you will not fear failure. If you know that God loves you, you will not fear rejection! This message hit me like an explosion. But just like the knowledge of God being capable of doing whatever through me wasn't enough to make me overcome my fear and do it. The knowledge of this message will do nothing in my life unless I apply it. I have to put it to practice by believing and acting in the knowledge of the Love of God being all I need. So when I want to back down, coward back, or remain silent I will step up in confidence that my success lies in God’s capable hands. Eventually this won't just be knowledge but natural living.

     God will never disappoint us and is never disappointed by our dependence in Him. So lean on God and let God love you and you love Him, forget about striving and trying to make things work or operating in faith of your self ability. Accept God's perfect Love in it's entirety for you & He will bring to pass what needs to happen. Continue doing this and the love of God will naturally rise up inside you and cast our all fear of failure!

I can not thank you all nearly enough for all of your support as I continue to follow God in all He has for me out here on the road. I am half way through my second year now, wow how the time has flown by, which means it is time for me to be watching to see how God will be providing my third year tuition which will help to send me over seas on our next out of the States missions trip. I am so excited to see what God has in store for this next year. I am seeking God for what He wants me to do after I complete my third year and would greatly appreciate you joining me in prayer about this as I continue to mature in my relationship with Christ.

God bless,
Jessica