When failure or fear become idols

Don’t waste life on past regrets and future fears!

There are better uses of our time and energy than wasting them dwelling on failures and fears.

• Focus on past regrets leads to guilt and depression.
• Focus on future fears paralyzes us with anxiety and distress.

These are disabling emotions that cripple our present effectiveness for God and others. (Don’t miss the six action points for conquering failure and fear below)

 

Confront these feelings as intruders and thieves who steal joy from

your life.

• For past regrets, God offers forgiveness and the healing comfort of His presence and promises (I John 1:9; II Corinthians 1:3-4).
• For future fears, God invites us to trust him at all times and pour out our hearts to him (Psalm 62:8;Hebrews 4:14-16).

Balanced truth

I am not suggesting that we ignore the past or become cavalier about the future. Trusting God is not justification for indifference or laziness. Resting in God’s forgiveness is not an excuse for ignoring consequences of past actions.

Yet always remember the truth that the only thing we can change about the past is how we respond to it in the future.

Be real and stay anchored!

Life in this sinful world involves vulnerability, threats, and suffering for everyone. Sudden changes, rejection, loss of health, aging, financial collapse, crime, accidents, failures, broken dreams — these are common causes of sadness and anxiety for all people.

And Jesus never promised a trouble-free life to His followers. He said, “Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34).

Six action points for conquering failure and fear

1. Firmly and repeatedly reject an idolatrous attachment to past regrets and future fears.
2. Refuse to live in a way that discounts or diminishes the greatness of God’s grace and promises.
3. Trust in the God who repeatedly reveled himself as “the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7).
4. When facing hardships and troubles, turn to the God offers himself our “refuge and strength – an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1;Hebrews 4:16).
5. Anchor to the One who has paid your debt and is preparing a place for you in the Father’s house (II Corinthians 5:21; John 14:1-3).
6. Consistently practice Psalm 62:8 and Hebrews 4:16.

See also – Four Dimensions of life and Resolve Anxiety through worship and Resources on guilt

Steve Cornell