During our final session together, the speaker (Algernon Tennyson - incredible, I encourage you to look him up!) spoke about overcoming fear. It was the exact lesson I needed to hear, with one point in particular resonating with me.
"Overcome strongholds by replacing them with something stronger."
If you have known me for any length of time, you probably know that I deal with anxiety. I was diagnosed with it officially a couple years ago, but my story with anxiety started even before that.
If anxiety is anything in my life, it's most definitely a stronghold. A stronghold is a fortress, a place of hiding and protection. Biblically speaking though, I think of a stronghold as a fortress that I've built around myself - something I've excluded God and His wisdom and His guidance from.
Anxiety leads me to fear things that haven't happened yet. Things that probably won't happen. Things that I have no reason to even believe could happen but you better believe I'm going to worry about it anyways. Because that's what anxiety is. For whatever reason - be it a chemical imbalance or genetics or the result of a traumatic event in your life, it's different for everyone - anxiety builds up walls around your heart and mind, refusing to let reason or logic or God in to those places. The places where He really wants to be and the places where I need Him to be.
For what may be the first time in my whole life, I've had a quote stuck in my head rather than a song, which is incredible considering the music we experienced during our times of worship this past weekend.
Overcome strongholds by replacing them with something stronger.
It's gotten me really thinking about what place I'm allowing God to have in my life. Am I making Him the first thing? The biggest thing? The strongest thing? Or am I keeping my things - my strongholds - as the top thing and then trying to slide God in underneath those things?
When I think about anxiety (or depression or fear or pride or any other stronghold that we may deal with) I picture it as a box. A box with sturdy walls, filled with all of the "what ifs" that swirl in my mind. The box is pretty much filled to the top, but there's some empty space in there and that's where I seem to be telling God He can go. When I refuse to break down and let go of my strongholds, I'm essentially telling God, "I'm not going to empty this box for you...good luck trying to fit in around the junk that I insist holding on to."
But what if I made God the most important thing? What if I did empty the box every morning, every couple hours, every time I feel anxiety trying to creep to the top, and fill it with God?
What if I let God - the most important thing, the strongest thing, the most perfect thing - actually be the biggest thing in my life?
What if I genuinely replace my anxiety, the time I spend dwelling on things, my anxious thoughts with God instead of just trying to shove Him in the box alongside all the anxiety?
God has been showing me that sometimes prayers aren't answered once and for all. Sometimes a big beautiful prayer can result in a changed life, but more often I think small daily prayers or hourly prayers or prayers by the minute are what we need and are equally as beautiful to God's ears. Prayer for the next step. Prayer for the ability to get up and do the thing you need to do. Prayer for strength to say the right words and clarity to make the next decision.
Keep praying the big prayers - pray for the miracles - but don't overlook the small steps on the way to the miracle.
When I don't let God be the strongest thing in my life, I'm limiting what I allow Him to do. I can pray and pray and pray for healing, but if I don't step aside and let healing happen, it won't.
"Overcome strongholds by replacing them with something stronger."
I hope that quote gets stuck in your head today in the same way that it's been rolling around in my head the past couple days. What strongholds need broken down in your life? How can you replace your strongholds with the love of God? What lies do you need to stop believing, what sins do you need to repent from, what areas of pride do you need to lay down at the feet of Jesus?
We all have those things that keep us from living the life God wants us to live. I pray that we can work together to recognize those sins, those areas that are holding back, and that we can start replacing them with the best thing: God. His perfect love, His mercy and grace, His forgiveness and guidance.
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| Algernon Tennyson |
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