Spiritually Unequal Marriage

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The Battle with Fear

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand ?and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. – Isaiah 41:13 Fear can…

IStock_000015938234XSmallFor I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand ?and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. – Isaiah 41:13

Fear can be an all out, guns blazing affair or a subtle thief that sneaks in and steals our joy. I realized this past weekend that fear had done just that to me lately-stolen my joy. I asked God to help me get it back, but I also needed to know what I’d allowed in the steal it away.

I don’t know about you, but fear is something I’ve had to battle from time to time. Fear of going new places, fear of what the future holds, fear of rejection, etc. I’d imagine you could add your own to that list.

As God spoke to my heart, I had to ask Him, what was I afraid of this time? What had I allowed to sneak in and steal my joy?

Worry. Fear. Anxiousness. Complete and utter lack of control of circumstances like never before.

More specifically, worry about the future of my youngest daughter, who now lives 3,000 miles away and is learning to make good decisions (that’s code for making not great ones but learning). Worry about our financial future in light of a year of little to no income. Worry about my mother’s health issues. Worry about getting all my work done and trying to contribute something to our financial picture.

Worry, worry, worry! I’d let the old bugger creep in and steal my joy. Again! And this came from fear of the unknown. I’d let my fear distract my focus from Jesus, and that left the door wide open for Worry to waltz in and make itself at home.

As I sat in Bible study later that morning, a question was posed to us. It was, “What’s one thing that would make you happy right now?”

I turned to my neighbor and said, “That my daughter would be okay.” And as I turned back around, I heard God’s small voice tell me, “I will do that for you.”

You know, God doesn’t just leave us with a command to not be afraid and then walk away. He jumps right in and takes our hand, holds us and gives us exactly what we need at just the right moment.

“I will do that for you.”

“I will help you.”

What are you afraid of right now? Have you reached out to God and told Him about your fears? Have you poured out your heart and grabbed hold of Him?

He’s already holding you. He has everything worked out. Most of the time we don’t know what that looks like, but we can trust God and believe Him.

Do you believe Him?

Praying and believing,
Dineen

Comments

24 responses

  1. Silvana Avatar
    Silvana

    A timely word for me. Thank you, Dineen. I woke up with worrying about my own daughter’s future.
    I really appreciate this especially…”You know, God doesn’t just leave us with a command to not be afraid and then walk away. He jumps right in and takes our hand, holds us and gives us exactly what we need at just the right moment.
    “I will do that for you.”
    “I will help you.”
    I don’t ever recall thinking about it that way, but of course! He would not tell us to not be anxious if He didn’t plan on being there for us.
    Thank you, dear friend. Praying for you.

    Reply
  2. Martha Bush Avatar
    Martha Bush

    Thank you Dineen, I needed to hear that today about some “worries” that I have concerning several issues. Would you believe my own daughters have said to me: “I want my joyful Mama to return to me.” This post reminds me: “He will do that for me.” Thank you.

    Reply
  3. Denise Avatar
    Denise

    Right now, I am afraid of having another stroke, or my brain never stopping swelling. But, I know , God is holding my future.

    Reply
  4. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    Thank you for your prayers, Silvana! Praying for you too, my friend! 🙂

    Reply
  5. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    Aww, that is so sweet, Martha, that your daughters see that joy in you. I pray my family sees that joy in me. Hugging you, my sweet friend!

    Reply
  6. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    Oh, Denise, I’m so glad you shared that. I now have a post-it note on my computer with your name on it. Every time I see it, I will pray. I pray especially that you rest in God’s reassurance that He has you firmly in His grip and will never let go because He absolutely adores you!

    Reply
  7. Jennifer Avatar
    Jennifer

    I fear that I will take the “easy” road and plop down on the couch beside my unsaved husband and go back to living with anger, judgement and resentment. I want to embrace the Lord and live how He did. I am trying to grab on to the love I know He has for me and use that as fuel to keep me going. It sure feels good when I do……

    Reply
  8. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    Jennifer, God will honor the desire of your heart because it honors Him. Believe that! We won’t be perfect but you will find that over time you will have less times that you slip back into that place and quicker returns to this place of peace. God works in us in mighty ways that don’t even know about. He blows me away on a regular basis! Oh, my friend, delight in Him and watch what he does!

    Reply
  9. Christina Avatar
    Christina

    Dineen, some encouragement for you. When I moved 3,000 miles away from my family with my husband, my mom had the same fears you have. She prayed for me non-stop, but had been unable to relax and was having problems sleeping because she was so worried. She told me (years later) that one day she was in church, a song was playing, and she heard God say, “let her go…she is mine.” After that, she was able to relax more, though she never, ever stopped praying. And now that I look back, I can see how her prayers have covered me and protected me spiritually. There’s no other explanation! God is good. Have faith 🙂

    Reply
  10. Christina Avatar
    Christina

    By the way, I haven’t chatted with you in a while…I might just send you an e-mail 🙂

    Reply
  11. Martha Bush Avatar
    Martha Bush

    Dineen, they actually said that I had lost the joy; they wanted it to return. Your blog definitely encourages me to put the worries behind.

    Reply
  12. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    Christina, that IS so encouraging, my friend! Thank you for sharing it. I will keep praying and believing! And always a pleasure to hear from you, either here or by email. Looking forward to hearing from you! Hugs!

    Reply
  13. Noreen Avatar
    Noreen

    Hi Sweet Friend, One of the verses I read yesterday in my Beth Moore study was “Perfect Love casts out fear”, I love this verse and I’ve had to claim it many times. I feel like I deal with fear more than you do but you are right, it steals our joy. So did you girl go back to your Mom’s? Write and let me know.
    Hugs today.
    Nor

    Reply
  14. Amberdani Avatar
    Amberdani

    I didn’t grow up in a religious home, the opposite in fact, but I always knew that God was there. I am learning to let go of my fears and turn them over to God. A few months ago a letter from the courts arrived saying that there was a credit card my husband hadn’t paid and they would be garnishing his wages(we are a 1 income family). The amount that has/is being garnished is nearly $1000 per month. Normally, I would freak out that money could only come from canceling television and our grocery/clothing budget (we have a large family). My husband freaked out and has been counting the days until the debt is paid off. For the first time in my life I just gave it to God. It hasn’t been a fun ride but He has provided! And the debt will be paid off in after this next paycheck. It will be nice to have the income coming in that we used to but I would never give up the lesson I am learning right now.

    Reply
  15. Amberdani Avatar
    Amberdani

    Dear Dineen, Your response here is exactly what I’ve been experiencing. If and when I do slide I am being pulled back faster every time. Thank you for all you offer to all of us!

    Reply
  16. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    I fear that I will never stop worrying about EVERYTHING and that I will not change. I fear that my husband will not get saved because of me and I fear that I will miss God’s calling on my life. I thank you for the reminder that we need to pray and ask God to take this fear away and trust in Him. He doesn’t want us to be miserable. God Bless You Dineen. By the way, I have never heard of that name before and I think it’s a beautiful name!

    Reply
  17. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    You are most welcome, Amberdani! It’s my honor and pleasure to serve right here where God has me. That regularly blows me away too! God is GOOD!

    Reply
  18. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    I love that verse, Nor! And 2 Tim. 1:7, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” I pray that one a lot for my daughter and myself. I will send you an update about Leslie. She’s still in Florida but with her cousin. It’s a great story… 🙂

    Reply
  19. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    Oh, I so understand that feeling, Amberdani! Those lessons and trials can be brutal but to be able to see the blessing in them is that giving thanks in all situations and be content in those places too because we know WHO is in control and we are taken care of. Even if our spouse isn’t a believer, GOD TAKES CARE OF US! You, my friend, have given us testimony to that. Thank you!

    Reply
  20. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    Oh Heather, I so understand. I struggled badly with fear in my early twenties. And I see that at times in my own daughter, but she has something I didn’t-a growing faith in Jesus. I see in her how He works in her mind and heart to bring her through to belief and stronger faith. All that to say that it’s truly a journey that God is bringing us through. Just remember when those fears hit, that God is bigger than all of it. God won’t let you miss your calling on your life as long as you have the heart and desire to follow it. God is bigger than our mistakes, our fears, and our clumsiness. God is bigger than your fear! He will not let deter you from your calling nor your husband’s walk to salvation. He’s BIGGER! Amen?
    And thank you for the compliment on my name. I’m rather partial to it myself. LOL! Hugs!

    Reply
  21. Lynn Avatar
    Lynn

    Oh Girl,
    Brilliant and simple. Why don’t we just ask Him…. Amen. Amen… AMEN.

    Reply
  22. nicole neri Avatar
    nicole neri

    Oh man did I need to read this post and the comments! Thank you and More thank you Lord you are my REFUGE – Lately I am afraid of what others think of me. I run to Him!

    Reply
  23. Marys Avatar
    Marys

    Took me awhile to be able to comment on this post. The day before this post, I was speaking to my Pastor about my fear. After much prayerful consideration, the Lord kept bringing me back here and other places where people were addressing their fears and trusting the Lord. For me, right now, my fear is somewhere in between the fear or losing my husband and the fear of keeping him. The closer I get to the Lord, the more the enemy works on him. Rage and anger are a constant and for just a moment, I thought that I cannot bear anymore. Right this second, I don’t know where the Lord will lead me, but I know that I am not alone. I know that I have a wonderful, loving Saviour and protector who has put caring and understanding people in my life. So, everyday I pray and know that the closer I get to the Lord and the more angry my husband gets, that the closer he comes to that breakthrough moment. That his “issue” is truly conviction and that the Lord has not forsaken him or me in this matter.

    Reply
  24. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    Marys, that fear is understandable. Please come back tomorrow. I know tomorrow’s post will speak to your heart because her testimony is exactly about her fear of losing her husband, then her fear of keeping him. It’s an amazing testimony to God’s faithfulness. And He is faithful, Mary. You can trust that God is working all this for your good and for your husband’s. 🙂

    Reply

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