Dangers with Hep C come in many different forms. Being fearful of Hep C, treatment or what your future holds due to Hep C, is one of those dangers. Fear works against you, not for you. Fear hinders your healing and treatment for Hep C. Like the domino effect; fear breeds worry and creates stress, stress suppresses the immune system, which affects your liver. Fear and worry paralyzes us from moving forward into all God has for us. Fear and worry are the danger zone in which a defeated mentality takes hold.
From there we are caught up in downward spiral of hopelessness. When we open the door to fear, we turn our backs on faith. We say with our actions, God we don’t trust you. That’s a very dark, dangerous place to be. All of us deal with fear on some level. The difference is what we choose to do with it when it wants to move in and unpack. Don’t open the door when fear knocks!
Fear starts with a spark and before we know it, we’re engulfed with overcoming flames of worry that consume us. We can choose to be like a fireman who extinguishes the fire of fear with faith and trust in God. God can help us turn fear inside out. Instead of being fearful, we can turn those emotions over to God and be fearless.
Courage does not happen in the absence of fear, but choosing to trust and have faith in spite of fear.
When I see the spark of fear trying to erupt, I’ve often had to stop in my tracks and say, “Lord, I give these fearful thoughts to you. Quiet my anxious thoughts as I put myself under your Holy Spirit’s control and replace these thoughts with Your word.”
God’s word is like the fire extinguisher to fear and doubt. We become like firemen who turn from being fearful to fearless. That’s what Hep C Warrior’s can do when facing dangers with Hep C. Don’t allow fear and worry to consume you and burn down your house (your body).
I love the encouragement from Anne Graham Lotz’s book, Fixing My Eyes on Jesus, “Keep praying. Keep Trusting. Trust Him when you don’t understand and nothing makes sense. Trust Him!”
“Come near to God and he will come near to you.” James 4:8
“. . . take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” Ephesians 6:16 NIV
“Fear not, for I have summoned you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:1-2 NIV
“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
Where do your thoughts drift with Hep C? How do you handle fear?
This entry was originally published on Life Beyond Hepatitis C December 19. It is reprinted with permission.
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