{"id":23700,"date":"2022-04-11T00:01:41","date_gmt":"2022-04-11T00:01:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cbnbalkan.org\/is-fear-controlling-your-finances\/"},"modified":"2023-01-31T19:29:40","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T19:29:40","slug":"is-fear-controlling-your-finances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cbnbalkan.org\/en\/is-fear-controlling-your-finances\/","title":{"rendered":"Is fear controlling your finances?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Is fear controlling your finances?<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20″][vc_column_text]When we talk about finances, it could be said that we live in a time of fear, especially since we haven’t had such an intense combination of negativity at the same time in a lifetime.<\/p>\n

Fear and Christians<\/h3>\n

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” –<\/em> 2 Timothy 1:7<\/em> (VAB)<\/em> There are dozens of Bible verses that deal with fear and how a believer should respond to it. Most of them are comforting and often contain the words “do not be afraid” because the believer should have a spirit of peace even in threatening situations. But is that really what we feel? Do we banish fear from our lives the moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior? I kind of doubt it, and I know that’s not the way I often react. The human side of my character is mostly intact when it comes to fear and I would wager that is the case with most believers. Some people are more prone to fear than others, perhaps due to genetics, upbringing, personal experience, or a little bit of all of the above. But don’t feel guilty about it. God knows we have fears, and here’s how we can explain it. According to Answers.com<\/em> , the word “fear” appears in the Bible 365 times, and according to Word Nuggets<\/em> , the words “fear not” and “do not be afraid” appear together 107 times. Why does God repeat this phrase over and over again in Scripture? Because he knows we are afraid! Jesus kept calling his disciples not to be afraid, and they had fears despite walking with Him every day!<\/p>\n

Constructive responses to fear<\/h3>\n

One of the areas we have control over, especially when it comes to finances, is our reaction to fear. It can be destructive, keeping us imprisoned in our problems, or it can be constructive. It depends on us! When we focus on our fears, at least five negativisms appear: <\/p>\n

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  1. Procrastination – “I don’t want to face it right now”<\/li>\n
  2. Withdrawal – “I can’t take it now”<\/li>\n
  3. Self-doubt – “I can’t do it”<\/li>\n
  4. Doubt of others – “I’m alone in this”<\/li>\n
  5. Doubt in God – “He has abandoned me”<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Fear does not move us forward. We move towards what we focus on and if we focus on our fears, we will move in that direction. If fear is what we set our sights on, then it will determine where we go. We cannot stay in fear! What can we do if we want to turn fear from an obstacle into a motivator? <\/p>\n

    Start praying and stay in it<\/h3>\n

    When we worry and start to fear, it’s time to get down on our knees. The letter gives strong support in this: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything – with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving – make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.”<\/em> Philippians 4:6-7 (VAB) <\/p>\n

    Seek fellowship and advice from others<\/h3>\n

    We often like to think that our problems are unique or that our fears make us weak in the eyes of others. But rest assured that there isn’t a problem we face or a fear we have that someone else hasn’t already faced. Just talking about your fears with someone can give you a perspective where they don’t seem so scary anymore. <\/p>\n

    Make an action plan<\/h3>\n

    Often the source of our fears is a lack of ways to deal with them. Setting an action plan can go a long way toward giving us the confidence we need to overcome our fears. Let’s look at a few common financial fears and action plans that, along with prayer and advice from other people, can help put our deepest fears behind us. <\/p>\n

    Fear: I will lose my job and not be able to find another one.<\/h3>\n

    Action plan:<\/p>\n