How Do You Fulfill Your Dreams When You Are Afraid?

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Each one of us has dreams. Or, if you’re not sure what your dreams are, you probably desire to have dreams. It’s in us to want to make a difference.

There are many issues that can hold us back from fulfilling these dreams…insecurities, finances, lack of knowledge, time, etc. 

If we’re honest, we can classify these issues as excuses. We rationalize why we can’t achieve this or that. We justify why we don’t take that bold step. We use excuses as the reason we’re not stepping out or the reason this venture isn’t succeeding.

These excuses come down to one root issue–fear. 

Fear can show up in a myriad of ways. It might be fear we won’t succeed, fear we aren’t enough, or even fear of succeeding. 

 The biggest challenge fear causes is we withdrawal. 

Maybe we don’t always withdrawal physically, yet we may withdrawal mentally, emotionally or we withdrawal by not giving 100%.

Fear does not come from God.  

photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash

Fear thinks its job is to keep us “safe.” But, this safety is costing us.

Nothing of significance happens in the safe zone.

I’ve personally dealt with fear all my life. It’s shown up fiercely in the last few years since I’ve been working to stop the excuses and step into my dreams.

When we’re in fear, we can go into fight or flight mode. Science has recently added freeze mode. 

My mo is freeze. In fact, my freeze mode is so strong, I’ve fainted multiple times because of fear.

1 John 4:18 NASB

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

In the original language this was written in, Greek, fear (phóbos) means withdrawal.

Abbott-Smith's commentary states the word fear is used here to convey fear in terms of withdrawal, fleeing because feeling inadequate (without sufficient resources).

Have you ever felt inadequate and/or without sufficient resources so you backed off?

I know I have…that’s where my freeze mode is strongest when I’m in comparison mode.

1 John 4:18 says, but perfect love casts our fear.

What is perfect love? 

Love in this scripture is talking about God’s ‘agape’ love. A love that goes beyond who we are to who we are because of who He is. 

It’s a love that loves us no matter what. Agape talks about God’s preference. It’s divine love. 

The good news is He prefers us!

1 Peter 2:9 NIV

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

We are God’s special possession. He prefers us.

Let’s go back to 1 John 4:18.

Perfect in this scripture means: mature from passing through necessary stages to reach the end-goal. 

Image by Willfried Wende from Pixabay

The root of this word is explained like a sailor’s telescope. 

To work, a telescope opens up each stage until it’s fully extended. It literally passes through stages until it reaches it’s end-goal–allowing you to see further than you could with your naked eye.

Perfect love means we go through each growth stage to understand God’s, incredible love. 

The next part of 1 John 4:18 says, “but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment.”

Fear involves punishment.

Punishment literally means torment from living in the dread of upcoming judgment. 

The great news is Jesus took any punishment we would have received from us through is death and resurrection. 

Ephesians 2:8 NIV

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

We don’t have to earn it–He earned it for us!

Even if we FEEL inadequate, our Heavenly Father is enough. And, because of what Jesus did on the cross for us, we are enough. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

As 1 John says, as we are perfected, matured, in this love, fear is cast out. 

That doesn’t mean we are never afraid. It does mean when we’re mature in God’s love for us, we know who to run to when we’re afraid.

Fear will not stop us from our dreams.

Next time we’ll go into how we can take steps to mature ourselves in this love of God so we can live and enjoy the life our Heavenly Father has called us to.

For now, begin to meditate on your Heavenly Father’s perfect love for you! The gospel is the “too good to be true news.” I encourage you to explore just how good that good news is. I’m on this same journey with you and it is life changing.

Discussion

Do you have a dream that fear has been trying to keep you from? Or, if you struggle to dream, what might that dream be?

Resources

The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success by Andy Andrews

The Seven Decisions: Understanding the Keys to Personal Success by Andy Andrews

What’s In A Name? Discover Why It Matters What We Call God blog post by Heather Bunch

The Top Two Beliefs That Make Unconditional Love Conditional blog post by Heather Bunch

How God Wants You To Approach Him Even Knowing What You've Done Wrong blog post by Heather Bunch

*Books links are affiliate links. If you purchase a book, I will receive a small percentage.