“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified… for The Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

If there were an eleventh commandment, I think it would be, “Do not be afraid.” Over 300 Scriptures tell us not to be afraid, yet many live in constant fear of many things. When our identity is in who The Lord says we are instead of how others define us, it causes fear and anxiety to no longer rule our lives. Others may have said we would never amount to anything, we’re worthless, or any other negative things, but those things can only make a difference in our lives if we believe them.

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 1 Timothy 1:7 NIV

Timidity or shyness stems from insecurities; when we allow The Lord to love us and make us who He created us to be, in Him, we become secure and free from fear. The most life-giving freedom I’ve known is the freedom from needing others’ approval. Living to please The Lord and being ok when others don’t understand or approve of us is life at a higher level. The Lord’s commandments always lead us to love Him and others better, not serve ourselves. However, when we live in fear, our insecurities cause us to hurt others.

How can we become secure? We will only become secure in His love by going where He is in prayer. By spending time with The Lord and sharing our heartbreaks, disappointments, and triumphs, only then will we hear His voice and know He approves of us, He loves us, and is working to help us. No one loves us like the Lover of our Souls – no one else can take the broken pieces and unkept promises and make something strong and useful from them. Only The Lord can make good come from terrible things and remove our deepest fears.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified… for The Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6