Why Are You Afraid?

This morning, I started out looking at verses that talked about faith.  This one jumped out at me:

Jesus answered, "Why are you afraid? You don't have enough faith." (Matthew 8:26 NCV)

This is a question I ask myself on a regular basis.  Why am I afraid?  I wish it weren't so, but too many times I find myself hesitating in life because of fear, and I continue to seek God's power in my life to clear me of my fears.  Another verse from Matthew addresses a similar issue: "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter. Jesus said, "Your faith is small. Why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31 NCV)  Doubt is another face of fear that too often pops up in my life.

John said, "There is no fear where love exists. Rather, perfect love banishes fear, for fear involves punishment, and the person who lives in fear has not been perfected in love." (1 John 4:18 ISV)  

These verses tell me something about the remedy that's needed.  I need to be perfected in love and I need greater faith. This becomes even more important as I read another verse in Matthew that says, “According to your faith, let it be done for you!” (Matthew 9:29 ISV)  Clearly, if I want to experience a life of miracles, I have to have faith.  But what does this really mean and how do I get there?  How do I increase my faith?  Here are some ideas that come to me:

• Focus on God's love. As that verse in 1 John says, no fear can exist in the presence of love. Experience shows me that my faith is increased as I remember God's love for me and understand His love at an ever deeper level.  Father, thank you for your amazing love!
• Thank God for His goodness.  "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" Psalms 107:8 KJV  Once again, I can say from experience that as I focus on gratitude for what God has done, my faith grows stronger.  Thank you, Father for the many blessings you've brought into my life!
• Thank God for what He is doing now - even if I don't understand it! "Seven times each day I stop and shout praises for the way you keep everything running right." (Ps 119:164 - The Message Bible)  As I've started putting this advice to work, I've seen amazing miracles as God demonstrates His willingness and ability to keep everything running right.  Thank you, God!
• Focus on the faith I have, even if it doesn't seem very big. "I tell all of you with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20 ISV)  A mustard seed is pretty small, and when my faith is that small, it is easy to focus my attention on the storms around me instead of on that seed of faith - but the results of doing so speak for themselves.  
• Focus on Jesus.  Hebrews 12:2 reminds us that Jesus is the "author and finisher of our faith".  As I study His life and teaching, and as I talk with Him during the course of my day, my faith is increased.

Well, there are many more verses that talk about faith, but I think I've read enough this morning to get me started.  Father, I thank you for your work in my life.  I thank you for the gift of faith that you've given me and ask that you help me nurture this seed that it my grow large enough that there is no room for doubt and fear left in me!  I thank you for the many blessings and miracles you perform on my behalf daily, and I thank you for the way you keep everything running right.  Once again, I seek your will in my life, Father.  May your will be so entwined with mine that I see clearly what your will is for me each day.  Father, please guide the decisions of this day.  It has seemed you are moving us forward in a specific direction, but PLEASE clearly block us if this is not your will!  Thank you for your guidance and direction in my life.  This morning I pray with the father who came to Jesus for healing of his child, "I do believe! Help me to believe more!" (Mark 9:24 NCV)  And I thank you that you have promised that when we pray for bread you will not give us a stone.  Thank you for my daily bread this day.  Amen.