Courage in Spite of Terrifying Circumstance

Courage in Spite of Terrifying Circumstance

Written by Sheila Schuller Coleman

"You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you." -Psalm 91:5-6, 9-10a

As a young wife and mother, I found myself terrified from time to time. There was the time when my three-and-a-half-month-old son was diagnosed with spinal meningitis. I was terrified when they wheeled him into the pediatric intensive care unit (he completely recovered - praise God!).

I was terrified when my husband and I were hit with an unexpected bill from the IRS that we did not have the money to pay. (Thankfully, we were able to get a loan and pay it off in time.)

I was terrified when my husband and sons were late coming home some evenings (prior to cell phones). I imagined them dead at the side of the road and often worked myself into nearly a panic attack.

I was terrified when I received a phone call in the middle of the night telling me my father was in a coma and in brain surgery in Amsterdam - they didn't know if he would survive and, if he did, what shape he would be in for the rest of his life.

Some of my fears were rational and some were not. Nevertheless, I learned this through the terrors that I have encountered in my lifetime: Terror is a frame of mind - not a state of being!

That means that terror is an attitude - not a circumstance. This means that terror is merely a response. I can choose how I will respond to any circumstance. I can choose courage just as I can choose terror. I can choose to cry out to God when I find myself in a terrifying circumstance. When I do, God will deliver me - and He will deliver you, too - from the terrifying feelings and the terrifying circumstances!

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PRAYER:

Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, I cry out to You when I am afraid. Deliver me from my terror and deliver me from my terrifying circumstance. You are my strong deliverer. I praise You and thank You for what You are doing for me -today and every day. Amen.

Why Do I Procrastinate?

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Why Do I Procrastinate?
by Rick Warren

Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James 4:17 (NIV)

"What have you been postponing? Ask yourself, "What am I afraid of?""

The Bible has a lot to say about procrastination.  Just take a minute to read today's verse and really let it sink in.  I know the things I ought to do and I don't do them.  And I know the things I shouldn't do and I do those.  But I procrastinate on the things I really want to change in my life. Why? 

The Bible says you procrastinate for one of five reasons.

1.  Indecision. "A double minded man is unstable in all he does."  (James 1:8 LB)  Have you ever sent a waiter away at a restaurant because you couldn't make up your mind?  Indecision causes you to postpone buying a car, choosing a college, getting married, buying new clothes, changing a job.

2.  Perfectionism. "If you wait for perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done!" (Ecclesiastes 11:4 LB) If you wait for things to be perfect, you're going to wait a long time. You don't have the time or the money for things to be perfect.

3.  Fear. "The fear of man is a trap."  (Proverbs 29:25 LB) Have you been postponing going to the dentist?  Or having that needed surgery?  Or getting into marriage counseling?  Sharing your faith at work?  Ask yourself, "What am I afraid of?" 

4.  Anger. "A lazy person is as bad as someone who is destructive." (Proverbs 18:9 GNT) Procrastination is a way to get back at people we don't like.  We delay.  Kids are great at procrastination.  You ask them to clean up their room.  They do it but they take so long doing it. One of the reasons may be that they're resisting your control. Procrastination is passive resistance.  I don't want to do it because I don't like you telling me to do what I have to do.  Anger causes us to put things off.

5. Laziness. "Lazy people want much but get little, while the diligent are prospering." (Proverbs 13:4 LB) One of the most popular words in America is "easy." If it's easy, we like it.  If it's hard, we don't like it.   Can you imagine a best seller titled, "Ten Difficult Steps to Change Your Life" or "Fifteen Difficult Ways to Get in Shape"?  If it's easy, we like it.  If it's hard, we don't like it. 

The next time you find yourself procrastinating, stop and ask yourself why. Then ask God to help you overcome it so you can move forward and do what you need to do.