How to Best Conquer Fear When All You See Is the Lack
As I pushed the double stroller around my development, I struggled with the dark cloud that had settled over my soul. I knew I had a wonderful life—two babies, a home, a loving husband, and food on the table. I had resigned from my retail management position to stay home with the babies. My home sewing business was still in its infancy, so its income was minimal at best. Fear gripped me—fear of financial hardship, fear of failing my children, fear that my life would be unproductive for the kingdom of God. These fears contributed to the growing dark cloud.
How to Conquer Fear
One day I came to 2 Kings 4:1-7. It is the account of the widow whose creditors were threatening to take her sons as slaves. She came to the prophet Elisha, desperately wondering what to do. Elisha responded by asking her what she had in her house. She had nothing but a flask of olive oil.
What did I have? This resonated deep in my heart. All I had been seeing was my lack: lack of money, time, and energy. The widow only had a little oil, but God used it. I only had a little; I wondered if God could use it as well.
When the widow poured the oil into other jars to sell and repay her debtors, her miracle of multiplication occurred. I imagined the little glass jar of olive oil in my kitchen cupboard, with only a few ounces left. If I began pouring it out, the flow of oil would remain constant, filling a large container. The miracle happened in the pouring out.
What if I stopped looking at my lack?
Fight Fear with Thanks
I came to God with what I had in prayers of thanks. Thank you, Lord, for the time you have given me today. Help me be a blessing to someone. Thank you, Lord, for the one small sewing job I have right now. I know you will provide the job I need next.
These prayers became weapons to fight my fears.
Overcome Fear By Pouring Out
Then came the second part. What if I started pouring out? What if I stopped listing all the things I thought I didn’t have?
Looking back, I am amazed at what God did with my lack of time once I gave thanks and committed it to Him. A friend and I started a mom’s group at our church. With finances, as I gave thanks for every small paid sewing job, He would bring another job at just the right time to provide for a bill that was coming due.
I also believed I lacked the opportunity and time for kingdom work, but God continually urged me to be faithful with what He had given me. Then one day I put an ad in the local paper for my sewing business and heard they were accepting article submissions for the God’s Corner section. I knew I was supposed to write. Yet I feared I lacked time and skill.
Again, the still small voice, “Give thanks and keep pouring.”
That was almost 14 years ago. I do not know how God has provided the time, energy, or finances to homeschool, write, and run a business. My faith has grown. The same fears about lack of time, finances, and energy still resurface. I still fight the battle by giving thanks and pouring out. My jar of oil has never run out.
Whatever your fears, whatever your lack, He is inviting you to give thanks and start pouring out. I can’t wait to see what He will do with your little bit of oil.
Meet Naomi Fata
Naomi Fata is a professional sewist, speaker, and author. Her writing and speaking often incorporate her perspective on sewing to share spiritual truth. Her books include a 13-week devotional entitled Stitching Your Story Piece by Peace, Beyond Head Knowledge, and several sewing-themed journals. She and her husband Tony live in upstate New York and homeschool their three children.
To sign up for Naomi’s newsletter, request her as a speaker or to find her books go to ChristianResourceMinistry.com.
Where to find her . . .
Begin Within is a series to inspire a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only your own life, but the lives of your neighbors as well. Gratitude is a theme we talk about often around here because it ties so closely into other missional living rhythms. Practicing gratitude reminds to keep our hearts soft and expectant and our eyes open. Therefore, the more we embrace gratitude, the easier it becomes to truly see our neighbors and where we can join what God is already doing in our neighborhoods.
If you would like to contribute to Begin Within, you can find the submission guidelines here.
