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Dancing Through the Fire

     For a couple weeks now the Lord has been pressing this message on my heart. He revealed a flaw in my thinking I hadn't noticed. You see, when hard times come it's in my nature to duck and cover. I go into "survival mode" and I get tunnel vision. I only focus on getting through what's in front of me alive. But in doing so, not only do I miss a lot of opportunities, but I give in to the voice of fear in my life.

    I know I don't speak only for myself when I say that God wants to us in our "every day lives." Not only at church or on a special mission trip, but in the trenches of the grocery store, the gym, work, etc. It is His will that every soul is saved and He wants us to go out into the world and win those hearts for Him. But when I put myself in survival mode, I block out all the opportunities God lays before me. When I numb myself with the routine of each passing day, week, and month, I miss out on sharing the one thing of eternal importance!

     Additionally, I let Satan take the reigns on my life when I allow my actions to be dictated by fear. I literally would walk into the grocery store with my head down and avoid all contact with others because I was afraid what would happen. I wanted in and out as quickly as possible. What if someone talks to me and makes me uncomfortable? What if I get unwanted attention on my run? What if I get in trouble for talking to my coworkers at work? The "what ifs" of life can be paralyzing. But instead, I choose to look at it this way: what if by starting a conversation with ___ they come to know Jesus?

    Bad things are going to happen in life. It's the world we live in. Jesus Himself said, "in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). I don't want to let the struggles of life take my attention off of Jesus and introducing as many people to Him as possible. Instead of running and hiding when trouble comes, I want to be dancing through the fire.

Mark 16:15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation."

2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

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