Some of things on that list:
1. I am afraid to say NO
2. I am afraid of failing
3. I am afraid of not having enough money
4. I am afraid of letting those I look up to down (parents, good friends, my bosses)
5. I am afraid of what my future holds
Pretty generic and not exclusive to me. But I've always worked so hard to exude confidence, to be strong and to not show fear. So I've been trying to submit myself to God. To not be afraid of making too little money. To not be afraid to say no. To not be afraid of bombing the LSAT December 5th.
Then I went to the Discovery Class tonight at church. And here is what I learned.
I have been answering to many unworthy authorities.
The bible is authoritative because it's message is circular, it submits only to itself. The bible is true in its entirety and is the voice and written word of God.
Everything in the bible is true: everything it says is absolutely, completely true. It doesn't provide the truth about everything, but everything in it is true.
The apostles were trustworthy authorities. They wrote and spoke the truth and this is proven by the miracles attested to in the bible.
I absolutely believe that the bible is true. I do not doubt anything that the bible teaches.
There is inerrancy in the bible: it is not exact but it is correct. The bible is written poetically, with symbols and to an audience that believed absolutely what was being spoken/written.
To consult the bible on everything, and to read the bible enough to answer others questions biblically is to live the Christian life.
That I am spiritually starved... I can tell because everything is messy, I am stressed. I haven't consulted the bible at all on what's going on with me.
Someone told me today that I don't smile anymore. And tonight I realized I probably don't smile anymore because I am spiritually starved... because my joy is trapped beneath the heavier things going on in my life.
So today I learned that the solution to my fear is quite simple: I need to restore my soul. I need to find the joy I know lies in only one thing and that is faith and dependence on Jesus. I think I am going to discover many answers to my doubts in the next six weeks in this class. And though it will challenge me and anger me at times (like tonight when the question was raised about women as pastors and my feminist switch was flipped) I think I will come out glad in the end. The pastor's explanation was surprisingly sensible though. I quickly flipped off the switch and opened my heart and mind.
