There are many expressions used to describe fear, among them are the adjectives ‘paralysing’, ‘crippling’, and the list goes on. We would sometimes even say that our actions or reactions are ‘governed by fear’. Fear is a stronghold that stops us from reaching our full potential in the purposes of God – but it can be broken! 2 Timothy 1:7 says that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love and of a sound mind.

How do we feed our spirit that we can rise up in faith, face fear head-on, and emerge as overcomers?

There are times when we feel trapped inside ourselves – not by our situations, but by our own minds. The Lord has never intended it such, intending rather for us to live and walk in freedom. Even a lie can become the basis of our truth if we declare it to ourselves enough.

Will we choose instead to sing and declare God’s truth until our hearts believe?

Failure is not the ‘be all and end all’ of our world! Yes, there may be consequences that follow our instances of failure, but whether failure becomes a dead end or a step to the next thing is a decision that lies solely on us. We could choose to get stuck in the downward spiral of “Why, God?” and land back at square one, or we could choose to get up, pick up where we tripped, and find our hope and victory in God!

For decades, even centuries, the concept of a ‘hero’ has never lost its relevance. With many of the stories from the pages of our lives, we often frame the story to paint ourselves – or someone we look up to – in a heroic light.

What does the Word say about Who we should be reflecting? More importantly, what does it say about Who the true hero of our story should be?

Hurt is something we all experience in various forms throughout our lives. Some people subscribe to the idea that it is easier to seal it up and just move on. Others lash out and use it to justify their character or reactions. What is sure is, when left unaddressed, hurt becomes like a wound that is left to fester and never heal.

How do we deal with these wounds, that we don’t end up tiptoeing through life?

The Bible says that God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts, His ways higher than our ways. It also says that He gives us freewill, and that is where our own thoughts and ideas influence our circumstances. God’s plans for us are for us to live full lives, fulfilling His unique purposes for each of us – that our joy may be made complete in His.

How do we posture ourselves so that this place of fulfilled joy becomes a constant in our lives?

‘Curveball’ is a term from baseball where the pitcher throws the ball with a spin, causing a surprise deviation from a straight path. The unpredictability and speed of this makes it difficult for the batter to hit the ball with accuracy. The good news for us believers is that God is in control – even over the curveballs of life!

Knowing this, how then should we respond in these unexpected situations?

Moving from one place to another evokes different responses from different people. Leaving the familiar behind, and approaching unfamiliarity can be uncomfortable, even daunting. There is one constant that we have, and that is God. Scripture tells us again and again that He is the same yesterday, today, and He continues to be.

What does leaning on Him through transitions look like?

We cannot give what we do not have. When Jesus came, fully man, He experienced the same things we do so that He could fully relate with what we go through. Jesus experienced rejection so that He could redeem and come back as an overcomer. The beginning and end of our struggles sometimes so consume us – but – the in between is where the rebuilding and redeeming happens so that we can emerge victorious.

In the opening verses of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, he says “…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…”. This tells us that God’s work in us is current and will continue until the end of our time. This is the assurance that when we come into the covenant of relationship with God as believers, He will never leave us or forsake us. How do we engage with the Holy Spirit in us as we navigate the trials and difficulties in life?