Lisa Bevere on how her son catalyzed her leap of faith into Christianity.
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By Lisa Bevere
We live in a day when the reach of fear is unprecedented. Desperate multitudes seek both physical and spiritual refuge in a world that seems increasingly hostile to its inhabitants. Earthquakes, famine and natural disaster plague our earth, and many nations are faltering on the verge of moral, economic and spiritual collapse. It would seem we are beset with enemies and terrorists within and without our borders. Discord threatens our union on every front. Yet could all this upheaval actually position us for a spiritual awakening?
When all that we trust in trembles, it’s an opportunity for us to lift our eyes and raise our voices to heaven. In this posture of prayer and humility we remember again the unshakable One. It is in these times of testing that we discover who we are, in whom we trust and what we truly value. Perilous times give birth to courageous people.
My awakening to a life of vibrant faith came in the wake of the birth of my fourth son. For years I’d made excuses for myself because I saw myself as a victim. As a cancer survivor from an exceptionally dysfunctional past, my biggest goal was just to survive my marriage and children.
It was in this season that God began to prod and probe my life. He began by addressing my personal issues of fear. On some level I was content living within the boundaries of my own captivity. But all that changed when I began to hear one of my young sons echo my fears.
Increasingly, my formerly fearless child began to say aloud the words that only stormed through my mind. I watched my son draw back and protest, “I can’t…I’m afraid…no,” whenever he met new people or when, in some way or another, his limits were challenged.
Alarmed, I took the matter to God in prayer. “Father, why is he afraid? Nothing should hold him back!”
The answer astounded me. “Lisa, your son will inherit My promises or your fears. If you want his destiny to be greater than your history, you must stop hiding from your fears. Face them!”
So, what is the promise of God? 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (KJV)
Fear will always seek to immobilize your life by stripping you of your God-given authority, your love for others and your ability to think reasonably.
My love for my son was the catalyst that caused me to lean into a life of faith. I have learned God loves to make us face what we fear because it positions us to arise fearless.
This is not the time to live in fear because fear gives unsound counsel, which in turn leads to awful decisions. Nor is this the time for you to be afraid of your strengths. This is the time to walk in divine assurance of who we are and whose we are.
As we pray in faith to our Father in the name of Jesus, not only are our prayers heard…they are answered. This positions us to confidently choose love, knowing there is victory because love cannot fail. Rather than the counsel of fear we embrace the timeless wisdom of God.
There is a scripture I allow to frame my thoughts. It is found in the book of Jeremiah:
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)
Our Heavenly Father has it figured out. In the midst of apparent chaos, He has a plan. We can trust the One who gave the life of His only begotten Son, Jesus, to catch us long before we realized we had fallen—and who forgave us long before we knew to be sorry.
There is another enemy that thwarts the revelation of Christ and the Holy Spirit’s work in our world: division.
“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9 NLT)
Division happens on its own without our involvement. Contention has been the natural course of this world since the fall of mankind. Unity and peace require intentional and strategic wisdom. This means we turn to the Scriptures and pray the words of Jesus: “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done.” We are ultimately called to the unity of faith, not of doctrine.
…that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:21 ESV)
Pride and fear will always separate us from God’s purpose. Division never glorifies Jesus, and divided houses fall. Discord divides hearts, homes, voices, vision, purpose, nations and kingdoms.
“Christianity is a battle not a dream.” —Wendell Philips
Let’s be brave enough to dream that our destiny is greater than our history. Let’s fight for love and the unity of our faith in order that a generation inherits God’s promises and not our fears.
This piece on faith originally appeared on MariaShriver.com. To read their entire Faith Series click here.
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