God is still writing your story. Don’t let go of your faith because of what you have to see. – Unknown Author

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Thought to Ponder – Faith is the bridge between where I am, and the place God is taking me.

Welcome back to Renew Inspiration! Hope you enjoyed your Mother’s Day weekend with family and friends. I cannot believe it has been more than 10 months since I have written and posted an inspirational post here. I stepped away from my writing projects because I needed a mental break, and I had some family struggles to work through. It’s hard to focus on what you love to do when you’re constantly facing issues and need to be there for your loved ones. Well, I’m back now and I appreciate your on-going support.

Despite what you have experienced so far this year, be thankful that you are here today to speak about it and read my inspirational blog. It’s important for us to pour positivity into our lives often so we can be better prepared to overcome any obstacle we face in life. I felt it was important to write a blog post explaining how to increase faith and decrease fear since faith is required for us to keep going day after day.

DEFINITIONS – FAITH and FEAR

Let’s begin with establishing the definitions of FAITH and FEAR.

FAITH (noun): Complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.

FEAR (noun): An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

WAYS TO INCREASE FAITH

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 (KJV)

When you are broken in pieces and experiencing so much pain, God can seem distant and even uncaring while you are in this vulnerable, yet lonely place. But before you throw in the towel or choose to give up on living life to the fullest, know that God promises in His Word to be with you always and to give you comfort in the midst of your storm, so whatever your feelings are suggesting to you in this very dark moment, know that God is with you always.

For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. Psalm 48:14 (KJV)

You must believe in your heart and mind that you will receive whatever it is that you are praying for throughout your journey. No mountain is too big for our God. I always think of a mountain as any obstacle, problem, or situation that happens in our lives. Despite the challenges and constant struggles in life, throughout this process, it’s important to find effective ways to increase your faith.

Here’s a few suggestions and scriptures to help you get started with your spiritual transformation to increase faith and decrease fear:

• Read and Study God’s Word.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (KJV)

God’s Word should be read and hidden in your heart so that you can fully understand the promises that God made to you. This process will allow God’s Word to guide, instruct, and protect you. Along with your Bible, you can also read spiritual devotions or faith-based inspirational books.

• Make Time for Daily Prayer and Meditation.

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)

Schedule quiet time for prayer and meditation inviting God to come into your presence. Remove distractions, quiet your mind, and talk to God regularly while listening with your spiritual ear for the necessary guidance that’s needed throughout your day.

• Practice Praise and Worship.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16 (KJV)

Set aside time each day to usher in God’s presence through praise and worship. This can be done through speaking scriptures and affirmations over your life or through singing worship songs in the presence of God.

• Be Transparent and Live Out God’s Word.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

It’s important to not just read and study God’s Word, but you must be transparent and apply God’s Word to your life each and every day. Make a commitment today and watch God work miracles in your life.

• Trust in God.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 (KJV)

As believers in Christ, it’s important to intentionally focus on God’s plans for you and not get in the way with your own personal views and interpretations of how you think your life should be. Remove any doubt or fear from your heart and replace it with belief and trust in God.

Along this journey called life, we have to open our hearts and minds to a true understanding of life’s many challenges and faith, of what it is and what it is not, in our lives and abroad. It’s important to know that faith is something to be experienced and exercised, not defined, categorized, and neatly packaged on a shelf.

HOW TO OVERCOME FEAR

Fear has a large shadow, but he himself is small. – Ruth Gendler

Despite having faith in your life, it is important to discuss how fear can also creep in. Fear is a normal reaction that warns our bodies to be careful. Everyone experiences some level of fear in their life from time to time. However, coping with everyday fears can be frightening for most people. Keep in mind, it is impossible to think clearly when you’re feeling overwhelmed or fearful. You must be ready to face your fears head on so you can dictate how your story will end. Remember, you are the root cause of your fears, and most importantly, you can be the solution to them as well.

Here’s some ways to help you overcome fear:

• Name your fear and face it. Believe it or not, fear is not always obvious.
• Arm yourself by replacing fear with God’s presence.
• Imagine your success, not your failures.
• Act out your new story and visualize your happy place.
• Don’t try to be perfect. Take time out to rest and re-set.
• Practice mindfulness and focus on your breathing techniques.
• Identify your fears by writing in your journal.

What makes you afraid? Questions help trigger your fears and bring them to the surface. Remember, fear will consume you if you allow it. Dig deep inside to gain encouragement and strength to move passed your fear so you can proceed with taking the leap of faith that you desire.

 WAYS TO HELP BOOST COURAGE

Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision. – Winston S. Churchill

Next, many situations occur in life that call upon us to do something we find scary, upsetting, uncomfortable, anxiety provoking, or distressing. We have to learn how to move out of our comfort zone throughout this journey called life, so we can develop, grow, and expand both our mental and physical capacity. Are you up for the challenge? I sure hope you are.

Here’s some ways to help boost your courage:

• Don’t overthink it. Once you’ve decided to do anything in life that requires courage, don’t wait, proceed to act.
• Commit yourself ahead of time. Stating intentions to your support system will make you be accountable, and you will follow through with the activity.
• Do the activity with a friend. Recruit a friend or family member to participate in the activity. Interacting with another person is a true way of managing fear and anxiety.
• Think of how good you’ll feel afterwards. Give some serious thought to how great you’ll feel about yourself after you take this leap of faith. You will feel more confident and increase your determination.
• Think of the doors that would open for you. If you struggle with courage and anxiety issues, you may need to seek help from a mental health professional or support group. Take some time to consider all the ways your life could be different if you were able to tackle your issue(s) successfully and use the motivation this process gives you to take the necessary step.

Faith rests on a solid foundation. The evidence is everywhere before our eyes. Begin to create a safe space for God to work wonders in your spiritual life by reading God’s Word, praying often, and submitting to God’s healing. God wants your heart, gratitude, and honesty which will bring you to His everlasting peace. My prayer for you today is that you take the words from this blog post and hide them deep in your heart. Remember, every positive change in life must first begin with a commitment to work towards that change. You will notice the little seeds of courage starting to sprout all around you. Take a deep breath and capture the moment. Despite the fear you may feel because you are entering an unknown territory, embrace your true feelings and take a leap of faith knowing that courage is not just around you, but within you. Faith is all about believing. You don’t know how it will happen, but you know it will.

FAITH AFFIRMATIONS

Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith. – Elisabeth Elliot

Affirmations will help you to focus on improving yourself, boost confidence, mood, and self-esteem. You can spend 5 – 10 minutes in meditation, journaling, or yoga with mantras. Self-love, positivity, open-mindedness, help set you in the right direction. Designate a time in the morning and at night when you can recite affirmations aloud. By saying them aloud, you hear the powerful words, and it can help you internalize them as true. The key to seeing a positive change in life is to say the affirmations with conviction and make it a personal experience. Through the incredible power of repetition, you’re able to reconstruct your thought patterns, beliefs, and ideals in your subconscious mind. Begin to set yourself up for a more productive and successful life that you desire by reciting these powerful faith-based affirmations.

Here’s a few faith-based affirmations to help you get started:

• All that I seek I can find within me.
• I trust that my faith in the universe will reveal all opportunities for me.
• I focus on what I can control and make peace with what I can’t.
• I trust my inner knowing in the face of uncertainty.
• I choose faith over fear and peace over perfection.
• I am ready to move ahead and explore the purpose of my existence.
• I trust and believe that everything is always working out for my highest good.
• I am at peace with my whole being.
• I see my faith, presence and passion being the most beautiful things there are in my life.

JOURNAL PROMPTS

Faith is building on what you know is here so you can reach what you know is there. – Cullen Hightower

Journaling is a powerful way to process events in your life, build self-awareness, get more clarity, and keep yourself on track. Journaling also allows for past reflection, future insight, and present surrender. Keep in mind that journaling is a safe space for you to put your feelings and emotions into words, then put your words into action. Journaling is your very own personal journey throughout life, your ups and downs, your successes, and failures. Ready, set, write!

• What is the best way to increase your faith and decrease your fear?
• How can you strengthen your faith in God?
• What is going on in your life that could benefit in you standing on your faith?
• Why is it difficult to face your fears?
• What does it look like for you to take a step of courage today?
• Write about a door you know God has closed in your life. How did you find the courage to work through this experience?
• Have there been times in your life when you’ve needed to be courageous? Take a moment to write about the situation and what you did to overcome your fears.
• List five ways you’ve become stronger and more faithful today, this week, or this month.

SELF-REFLECTION MOMENT

Your mind will always believe everything you tell it. Feed it faith. Feed it truth. Feed it with love. – Unknown Author

Unwavering faith will come with time, but you have to do the work which includes following God’s plan for your life, changing your thought patterns, and making time for self-reflection. Now, take a moment to think about the concept of increasing faith and decreasing fear. How strong is your faith right now in this very moment? How often do you spend time reflecting on your life or daily situations? Please spend some quality time answering these questions in your journal or notebook. Then, share your thoughts concerning this blog post in the comment section below so we can learn and grow from one another. I look forward to hearing from you very soon.

Believe in yourself today, tomorrow, and forever!

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