Have you ever wondered how you can pursue your God-sized dreams, achieve your goals and do all the things you’ve always wanted to do notwithstanding your fears and uncertainty?
If you’re anything like me then this is a question you’ve asked yourself on a number of occasions and it’s probably kept you up at night.
There have been times where it seemed like it was an either/or option. Either we do what we need to do or we let our fears stop us but I don’t think it’s that simple.
In a recent post, I shared tips to help us pursue our God-sized dreams. In that post, I mentioned a few roadblocks that stop us from achieving our dreams, one of which is fear.
Since our fears are usually the biggest hurdle to overcome, I thought it would be good to consider it separately.
From my own life, I have seen that my fears are not only constant but they’ve become unwelcome companions that I can’t seem to shake off.
I’ve also realised that often our fears come in various forms and sometimes we are not even sure when we’re being fearful and when we are being cautious or intuitive.
Understanding our fears
The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines fear as “an unpleasant emotion caused by being aware of the danger.”
Which means fear is undesirable and usually leads to anxiety and worry. Clearly not what we need.
It is fear that tells us:
“you’re not good enough,”
“you’re an imposter and clearly don’t know what you’re doing and you will be found out, soon enough.”
“this is not for you, you don’t have what it takes and I can tell you will fail woefully.”
Sometimes, it tries a different tactic:
“You are going to do this so well that everyone will know you, both the good and bad people, you will also lose your friends and gain people who are only after your success.”
“How can you move to a new place, you don’t know anyone there, what if something happens to you there?”
Fear creates panic and feeds on uncertainty. Many times, our fears come as a fear of failure, a fear of success and a fear of the unknown.
This is clearly different from caution which is our ability to avoid danger or risk, it requires a consideration of the possible outcomes of a course of action.
So, with fear, we envision danger but do nothing about it, while with caution, we consider how we can limit the danger or avoid it totally.
How to achieve our goals in spite of our fears
We are probably all agreed on one thing; fear is often a constant in our Christian journey. So rather than trying to live a life without fear, we should be considering how we can still achieve our goals in spite of our fears.
See, for centuries, the devil has used fear to keep us from pursuing our God-sized dreams. He has used this to keep us from blooming and thriving.
If there is one thing I know, it is that the devil cannot harm us unless we let him. Our Lord and Saviour defeated the devil once and for all, so there is nothing he can use against us except we allow it.
This doesn’t make it easy, no, there will always be that battle between good and evil, right and wrong within us. The question is whether we are ready to fight?
The Bible says if we ‘resist the devil, he will flee from us’, see James 4:7 Resisting here means being able to push back, to remain strong even in the midst of opposition.
I have shared a few tips to help us achieve our goals in spite of our fears.
Tips to help us achieve our goals in spite of our fears.
If your ready to overcome the fear and trepidation that has kept you in the safe zone and stopped you from venturing out into all you believe God has called you to do then please read these tips on how to achieve our goals in spite of our fears.
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Lean into the fear
I know this sounds counter-intuitive but let me explain. If you are about to do something, probably something you’ve never done before and you feel fear creeping its head, find out why you’re feeling that way.
Basically, I want you to explore your emotions.
Many times, that fear is not just about the present situation but about our insecurities, our flaws and our weaknesses.
The Bible shows many examples of people God called who gave excuses as to why they couldn’t honour the Lord’s command.
For Moses, it was a feeling of unworthiness, after all, he had fled Eqypt as a murderer(fugitive). For Saul, there was a fear that people wouldn’t like him, he craved human acceptance and this led to him losing the kingdom See 1 Samuel 15:19-22. Jeremiah felt he was too young and no one would listen to him See Jeremiah 1:7.
What are your fears saying about you?
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Remember the Lord’s goodness and be grateful
There is so much power in being grateful. It is a catalyst that releases us from the chokehold of fear and anxiety.
During those moments when it seems like we can’t possibly overcome the fear when it seems there is no way out, that is the very time we should remember God’s goodness.
To relive the times when he protected us, guided us, provided for us so that “even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…” Psalm 23:4
We need to cultivate a grateful heart by learning to thank God for the good and the bad.
By believing his promises and mercies, by taking cover under his grace and by allowing the Holy Spirit do his work. This way, we spend more time praising rather than worrying. I can tell you that this would be a recipe for a beautiful life cocooned in God’s love and goodness.
Friends, I know this wouldn’t be easy, it would be a daily struggle but with time it will get better. Did I also mention that it’s definitely worth it?! J
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Hold on to your faith
You’ve probably heard that faith is the antidote to fear and this is so true. Even the very definition of faith is the opposite of fear.
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” Our faith gives us the power to act even when we are scared and uncertain. This is a clear defence against the fear of failure and fear of the unknown.
Abraham’s life was a beautiful story of faith. From being called to move to a strange land, to believing he will have a child in old age and then agreeing to sacrifice this same child. What faith, right?
God says:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
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Pray continuously
Prayer is our uninterrupted way of communicating with the father. It is our means of connecting with a glorious God. But more than that, as Christians we have been called to pray in every situation, see 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
Which means we should be praying for peace, for strength and for wisdom to be able to move past our fears in pursuit of our dreams.
We are often reminded of this verse, which is one of my favourites –
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. “
Philippians 4:6-7
King David showed us the power of prayer in the Psalms. The Book of Psalms is filled with prayers of praise, worship and supplication.
Psalm 34:4 states “I prayed to the Lord and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.”
This is confirmation that God can free us from the burden and bondage of our fears. Like Peter, we need to step out in faith and connect with our one Holy God.
Taking the next step on how to achieve our goals in spite of our fears
Hey Sis, do you believe that you are able (in God) to overcome your fears and achieve your goals? I pray so.
Why not implement these steps today and see how they work for you. I have been doing the same and I have seen some changes. I’m still faced with my fears but now, I have the weapons to destroy the fiery darts of the evil one.
Are you ready to continue thriving and living boldly? Do you have other tips that have helped you overcome your fears?
Please share your stories in the comments.
Thank you!
Wonderful tips, I’ll definitely put them into practice. One other way to overcome my fears which has worked for me is to fix my eyes on the goal (what I will or hope to achieve at the end of it all). That way, I’m assured that it won’t be in vain, that I’ll get a reward for my troubles.
God-sized dream
What are your fears saying about you? (And specific to me…what are my fears saying about my relationship with God and trust?)
These really jumped out at me.