I’m writing this following a church service a few weeks before this goes live. That’s not normal for me. :) In church this morning my pastor spoke on “Pushing the Limits.” That grabbed my attention and I reached for the pad that is provided to take notes on.
This is a topic I “preach” on often and one I needed to hear myself today. :) We all have a limited number of resources whether that be: time, energy, creativity, love, money, or networks–the list goes on. Because we have limited resources we must be careful to leave margins in our lives. That white space on the pages of books, makes it easier for our eyes to enjoy the story, and margins in our lives give us the ability to do our best without burning out.
Something my pastor said really stuck out in my mind. As someone who has struggled with fear all my life I related to these three points. Sigh, it would have been nice to only relate to one. :)
~Fear of missing out.
~Fear of falling behind.
~Fear of not mattering.
Have you had any of those fears? We all face pressures to perform, to do our best at our jobs, or being a parent or . . . But Jesus’s response to this is simple.
~Relax and take a beak. Deuteronomy 5: 12-15
~Relax and trust Me. Matthew 6: 25-34
What I heard is, don’t let fear control you and determine how you live your life. Today I was challenged to think about where I need breathing room or margins in my life.
Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance, romantic mystery, and romantic suspense that warms the heart and feeds the soul. Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
Oh, I resonate with all three of those fears! I’ve always loved (and still go back to) 2 Timothy 1:7 — we are not given a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and a sound mind. Hallelujah!
A great verse, Elizabeth. Thanks!
When I suffer the fear of ‘not mattering’, I watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”, no matter the season of the year. We know about some of the things we do to help others, but often, we unknowingly make a difference in someone’s life. That thought comforts me. God knows my heart and that I want to serve. I trust Him to make sure my life matters. Unfortunately, I don’t have a ready answer to many other fears and argue with them on a daily basis. Thanks for sharing!
Diane, thanks for the reminder that we unknowingly make a difference in people’s lives. :)
Oh, so true, Kimberly. Great post!
I wrestle those fears as well. And they can get so big and in my face, it’s a lot easier to see them than God at times. The only thing that works for me is to get my eyes back on Jesus, the light for my path, instead of looking at the dark all around me.
You are absolutely right, Autumn! Keeping our eyes on Jesus is key.
Diane, that’s a good movie to give us a perspective on how we matter even when we don’t realize it. I probably have some fears when I embark on a new adventure, but overall, I don’t think I let fear rule me. This topic is interesting because the book I have coming out next year has a heroine who is ruled by fear because she’s had so many tragedies in her life.
Fear is a topic that comes up a lot on my books. :)
You challenged me today Kimberly! I can relate to fear of missing out on something good in my life. But then I just thought of the scripture that says this: Matthew 7:9-11 ” Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” or James 1:17 ” Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning”. This tells me that EVERY gift is good from God, no matter how small or insignificant we think it is. So I just have to trust that God will give me what I need & when I need it….I shouldn’t fear missing out on something….God hasn’t forgotten me :-)
And those margins in life….yeah….I need to learn where to have them (and trust God will fill them in for me)!
Thanks for sharing, Trixi. I love the reminder you gave that every gift is good from God and that we need to trust Him.
Thanks for the reminder to leave white space in my life! I did this week—four whole internet-free days camping with the kids/grandgirls. But I often fight leaving margins…
It sounds like you had a fun week, Valerie!