Latest / Inspired Edge: From Fear to Faith-Filled Living / Faith vs Fear: The Battle That Shapes Your Life

Transcript

Faith vs Fear: The Battle That Shapes Your Life · Inspired Edge: From Fear to Faith-Filled Living

• 0:00
  Foreign.
• 0:06
  Hey everyone.
• 0:07
  Welcome back to Inspired Edge.
• 0:09
  From Fear to Faith Filled Living.
• 0:11
  I'm Chuck Keller, and if you're someone who wants to live with stronger faith, clearer direction, and more confidence in the life God has called you to, you're in the right place.
• 0:24
  Today we're going to talk about something that affects every single one of us at one point.
• 0:29
  It's that battle between faith and fear.
• 0:34
  This battle isn't just something that shows up during a big life crisis.
• 0:40
  It shows up in the small decisions that we make every single day.
• 0:45
  Every day we face decisions influenced by either faith or fear.
• 0:50
  Sometimes we notice it, other times we don't.
• 0:54
  But if we slow down and pay attention will often find that beneath many of our decisions is one simple question.
• 1:01
  Am I responding in faith or am I reacting in fear?
• 1:06
  And the answer to that question often shapes the direction of our lives more than we realize.
• 1:13
  Fear has a very familiar voice.
• 1:16
  You've probably heard it before.
• 1:18
  It whispers things like, what if this doesn't work?
• 1:21
  What if I fail?
• 1:23
  What if people disapprove?
• 1:25
  What if I'm not ready yet?
• 1:28
  What if I step out and things fall apart?
• 1:32
  Fear tends to paint this worst case scenario.
• 1:36
  It pulls our attention towards risk, uncertainty, and potential embarrassment.
• 1:42
  The tricky thing about fear is that it can sound very logical.
• 1:47
  Sometimes fear disguises itself as wisdom.
• 1:50
  It says things like, just wait a little longer, play it safe, don't take that risk.
• 1:58
  But often what fear is really doing is just keeping us stuck, keeping us small, keeping us from stepping into what God may be inviting us to do.
• 2:11
  Now.
• 2:11
  Faith speaks very differently.
• 2:13
  Faith doesn't ignore those challenges.
• 2:16
  Faith doesn't pretend there isn't any risk.
• 2:19
  But faith shifts that focus.
• 2:22
  Faith says, trust God, take the next step, move forward with courage.
• 2:31
  Faith isn't about having every detail figured out.
• 2:34
  It's about trusting the one who does.
• 2:37
  And often the difference between fear and faith comes down to where our attention is being placed.
• 2:44
  Fear focuses on everything that could go wrong.
• 2:47
  Faith focuses on the one who is guiding the path.
• 2:52
  And when we look at scripture, we see this pattern over and over again.
• 2:57
  Hebrews chapter 11 is one of the most powerful chapters in the Bible when it comes to understanding faith.
• 3:03
  And it's often called the hall of Faith because it highlights people who trusted God even when they couldn't see the full outcome.
• 3:11
  Think about Abraham.
• 3:12
  God told him to leave his homeland and go to a place that God would show him.
• 3:18
  Notice something important there.
• 3:20
  God didn't hand Abraham a detailed map.
• 3:23
  He simply said, go.
• 3:25
  And Abraham went.
• 3:27
  Or think About Noah.
• 3:29
  God asked Noah to build an ark before there was any sign of the flood that was coming.
• 3:34
  Imagine how strange that must have looked to everyone around him.
• 3:38
  Yet Noah moved in obedience.
• 3:42
  And over and over again in Hebrews 11, we see this same pattern.
• 3:46
  People stepped forward before they had all the answers, before they had guarantees, before the outcome was visible.
• 3:55
  That's what faith often looks like.
• 3:58
  One of the things that I've noticed in my own life and also in my work as a coach is that many people assume faith shows up in big, dramatic moments.
• 4:09
  But most of the time, faith grows through small acts of obedience.
• 4:14
  Small steps, quiet decisions.
• 4:17
  Moments where you feel that gentle nudge from God and you choose to respond.
• 4:22
  Sometimes that step looks like starting a conversation that you've been avoiding.
• 4:28
  Making a decision you've been putting off.
• 4:31
  Taking action towards something that God has placed on your heart.
• 4:35
  Setting a boundary, letting go of something that's no longer serving the direction God is leading you.
• 4:41
  These steps may seem small in the moment, but over time, they build something powerful.
• 4:47
  They build trust in God, they build confidence.
• 4:51
  And they begin to shift your life from fear based living to faith filled living now.
• 4:57
  If we're being honest, fear often wins more battles than we'd like to admit.
• 5:02
  And there are a few reasons for that.
• 5:04
  First, fear is immediate.
• 5:06
  It shows up quickly and loudly.
• 5:09
  Faith, on the other hand, often speaks in a quieter voice.
• 5:13
  Second, fear focuses on control.
• 5:16
  It wants certainty before action.
• 5:19
  Faith, however, invites us to move forward without having total control.
• 5:25
  And that can feel uncomfortable.
• 5:27
  But here's something important to remember.
• 5:30
  Every time you choose faith over fear, even a small way, you are strengthening a new pattern.
• 5:36
  You are training your heart to trust God more deeply.
• 5:40
  If you look back on your life, you may notice something interesting.
• 5:44
  Many of the most meaningful moments probably started with a step that felt uncertain.
• 5:49
  Maybe it was saying yes to something that stretched you.
• 5:52
  Maybe it was stepping into a new opportunity.
• 5:55
  Maybe it was choosing to trust God in a season where you didn't have all the answers.
• 6:00
  And at the time, it probably felt very uncomfortable.
• 6:04
  But looking back now, you can see how God was guiding that step.
• 6:09
  Faith often works like that.
• 6:11
  We understand it more clearly in hindsight than we do in the moment.
• 6:16
  Here's something that I often tell many of the people that I coach.
• 6:21
  Don't wait for giant leaps of faith.
• 6:24
  Just focus on the next faithful step, just the next one.
• 6:28
  Because God usually reveals direction step by step, not 10 miles down the road.
• 6:36
  Psalm 119 says, you, word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
• 6:42
  Notice what that verse doesn't say?
• 6:44
  It doesn't say, God gives us a spotlight that shows the entire journey.
• 6:48
  It says, a lamp.
• 6:50
  A lamp shows the next few steps.
• 6:52
  And that's often how faith works.
• 6:56
  So let me ask you a simple question today.
• 6:58
  Is there an area of your life where fear has been holding you back?
• 7:03
  A decision you've been avoiding?
• 7:06
  Something you feel God prompting you toward?
• 7:08
  Maybe it's stepping into a calling, a conversation, or a change that right now feels very uncomfortable.
• 7:16
  Here's the reflection I'd like you to consider.
• 7:20
  What small step of faith might God be inviting you to take right now?
• 7:25
  Not a huge leap, just the next step.
• 7:28
  Because that step might be the beginning of something much bigger than you can see today.
• 7:33
  And remember this fear will always try to convince you that staying where you are is the safest choice.
• 7:40
  But faith reminds us that the safest place we can be is walking in obedience to God, even when the path isn't completely clear.
• 7:49
  Even when we feel uncertain.
• 7:52
  So this week, pay attention to those moments when fear and faith are both speaking.
• 7:57
  And when that moment comes, choose faith.
• 8:00
  Take the step.
• 8:02
  Trust God with what happens next.
• 8:05
  If you'd like to go a little deeper into the ideas we talk about here on the podcast, I want to invite you to download my free guide, the Five Life A Faith Based Framework for Breaking Free From Burnout
• 8:18
  and Fear Based Living.
• 8:19
  These five keys clarity, confidence, focus, faith and purpose form the foundation of the work I do with coaching clients.
• 8:29
  This guide will help you begin identifying where fear may be holding you back and how faith can begin leading you forward.
• 8:36
  You can grab your free copy using the link in the show notes.
• 8:39
  Thanks for spending this time with me today on Inspired Edge.
• 8:42
  From Fear to Faith Filled Living.
• 8:44
  If this episode encouraged you, feel free to share it with someone who might need the reminder.
• 8:50
  Until next time, keep moving forward with bold faith.