"When you don't give up, you cannot fail"
Take a few minutes to watch this inspirational story!
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. Romans 5:3-4
Fear can be a bad thing but it can be a good thing to protect us from harm. Fearing crossing the street when cars and flying past is a good fear. But fear of man can paralyze us! Freedom is found through fearing God and not fearing man. What are you most afraid of? There are numerous phobias out there!
Do you relate to any of these crazy fears? The truth is, many people are held hostage by fear. We fear rejection probably more than any other fear. Sometimes we find our identity on what others say about us instead of our identity being found in Jesus.
The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. Proverbs 29:25
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7
What Fear Does?
How does the fear of God overcome the fear of man?
Our tendency is to usually care more about man’s opinion often times more than God’s opinion. The truth is, God loves us. We are called to be overcomers of the fear of what others think! Jesus set the ultimate example of loving us through the cross! The fear of God destroys worry about what other people think. No matter what people say, we are accepted through Jesus! No matter if we are rejected by men, we are accepted by our Heavenly father!
I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love drives out fear. 1 John 4:18
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13
We need to live for the Audience of One! I will be rejected by people. You will, too, if you are following Christ. The fear of man is a trap! You and I have an opportunity to cave into the fear of being accepted by people every day! God loves you so much that he wants to have a personal and meaningful relationship with you. Don’t allow the incredible potential of this journey to be sabotaged by fear. God wants you to be free of fear and filled with boldness.
Are you living your life to be accepted by men or for an Audience of One?
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
What comes to mind when you think of what the word "servant" means? Service is much more than just filling a “position” but a matter of the heart. The bigger issue is that you just may be missing out on something God has in mind for you by choosing to be uninvolved. We are all competitive in some way. What about being “first in line!” or beating others to the car by saying, “shotgun.” We live in a competitive world (sports, school, friendships, parents, image and more). But what about when competition enters the life of a Christian? What does the greatest person look like in the kingdom of God? The disciples had an argument of who would be the greatest. Jesus helps put everything in perspective:
Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35
Considers others before yourself. Jesus portrayed the ultimate example of humility and unconditional love by even washing Judas’ feet (John 13:1-11). Feet are nasty! Jesus signified spiritual washing through the cross. A servant asks, “What can I do for others?” instead of “What can they do for me? Servant leadership invites a relationship. Jesus didn’t come to be ministered too, he came to minister.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24
This week, serve where God is nudging, and trust God to do what only God can do. Serving God is where the most growth occurs!
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:43-45.