Quick Take – Fear wears many masks.  We never like to strip the mask away because we would rather look at it than the face of fear which lies behind it.  So we tell ourselves the things which trouble us are something other than fear because no one wants to be a coward.  But changing the name and believing the mask does not take away the fact that we are afraid and scared.  Anxiety is one of those masks.  It comes on us all the time and is almost a cultural epidemic.  According to WebMD.com, we spend over 42 BILLION dollars a year in this nation for anxiety disorders.  What are you anxious about?  Whatever it is, when you take off the mask, behind it is fear of something.  Take courage.

Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you."  Isaiah 35:4 (NASB)

And Remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – Today, you need to understand what I am saying and what I am not saying.  First, I am not saying we should not seek medical help when anxiety has become so debilitating that we cannot function in a normal capacity.  Some people do have medical conditions which require help.  When we reach a point where we cannot function, we are a danger to ourselves or others, or we are self-medicating with drugs or alcohol, then we need to see immediate help.  Pray for those who are in this dark place because it is torment.  Don’t judge them, have grace and compassion.
     What I want to say today is that everything short of that is where we need to look deeply into the fear which is making us so anxious.  It is not the life shattering anxieties most of us battle.  It is the little anxieties that keep us off balance in all areas of our life.  It is the project looming over you at work that makes you short with your family and restless at night.  It is something the boss said to you the other day because you are not sure what he meant.  It is the customer you are trying to close and how you will replace them if they go with a competitor.
     All this is anxiety which has fear behind it.  God tell us to take courage, His courage.  God is behind you in everything you are doing.  He knows how everything will turn out and that He will take care of you.  The project may be a bust, the boss might have meant exactly what he said, and you may lose that customer, but you will be OK.  See, you need to learn that “it” might not be OK, but “you” will be.  God promised He will never leave or forsake you.  God will stand for us at just the right time.
     We have to look anxiety and fear in the eye and tell it to go packing because our God is with us always.  We have to take His courage and not let our lives be thrown off balance by the constant rumbles of anxiety and fear.  We have a choice as to whether we want to be afraid or brave.  We are not at the mercy of any fear or circumstance.  We are free in Christ to make a choice if we want to trust or fear.  Choose to trust God and take His courage as your own.  Quit letting the things of this world grow into something bigger than your God.
     On another note, thank you for your prayers while I was gone.  I had a wonderful time with my Canadian brothers and sisters in Christ.  We were so blessed to get to know them;  and they did have great wifi access but my Norton could not get along with it.  Anyway, I hope some of you started coming up with ideas for being a guest writer because I will be gone again in August.  Get those drafts written and let me know.
Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me.