Fear of the Unknown

"Fear creates increased pessimism about the future."  ~ from a webinar I attended at work.

 The class was about leading through "disruptive change", and smack in the middle the speaker drops this line.   It was as if he was living in my head.     Confession time:  I have been a little (ok maybe a lot) pessimistic about my future, mainly at work, but in other areas too, and when he said that there was a correlation between fear and pessimism about the future, it stopped me dead in my tracks.

I wouldn't have called it "fear", per se, but there has been a lot of uncertainty about where I will be working, in what capacity I will be working in...you know overstaffed + over budget = a lot of ???????.   And if I were to be completely honest (which is the point of this blog), I've been afraid.   Afraid of having to go backwards instead of forwards in my career.  Afraid that my new boss won't like me.  Afraid that I will not be successful.  Afraid that I will have to move.   Just plain afraid.  

No wonder I've been miserable these last few weeks.   Somehow, I have lost sight of the fact that I am so perfectly loved by a Father who never makes mistakes, whose promises are amazing, and who knows what He is doing.    I lost sight of the fact that He says, "For I know the plans I have for you...plans for a FUTURE and a hope, " and "Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father."   If He only gives good and perfect gifts, and He holds the plans for my future, what am I so scared of?

And we all know the verse that says, "Perfect love casts out fear," right?   So, I immediately jumped to condemning myself for not believing in His perfect love, for allowing fear to come in.    And as I repented for the 100th time this week for this same "sin" of unbelief, I wondered if maybe it wasn't a "sin" after all.  Maybe it wasn't "unbelief", but maybe I just need a greater revelation of who He is and His love for me.   Maybe that's why God put this prayer in the Bible - maybe, just maybe, He knew we would need this prayer answered in our lives (I stole that "maybe" from Pastor Terry Moore @SojournChurch-thanks, Pastor!).   So, instead of repenting for the 101st time, I am going to pray this prayer over myself and my family.   Will you join me?

^"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you [and me], according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your [and my] hearts through faith; that you [and I], being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you [and I] may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."  ~Ephesians 3:14-21