Faithful Fridays ~ Sometimes It's Scary to Follow.

Hey, everyone!  :)  I'm back again for Faithful Friday.  :)

Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians could have one special day out of the week (Friday) to share something from their Christian walk on their blog.  If you'd like to participate, write your post, grab the button from the Faithful Fridays page on my blog (so that it will link back here), and come link up at the bottom of this post!  :)

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I have a little analogy in store for you guys today.  ;)

So as I mentioned in my last post, I had my first swing dance class on Wednesday.  And when we were on our way home, I was discussing the differences between the styles of dance I'm used to--like tap, jazz, and ballet--and swing dancing.  Because in any of those other types of dance, you're usually dancing a choreographed routine.  You know the moves that are coming next.  You just have to execute them correctly.  It all depends on your ability and skill in dancing.

However, in swing dancing, there is the leader (the guy) and the follower (the girl).  You may know the general style of the swing dancing you're doing--Charleston, Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, or whatever, but you as a follower have to depend on the leader to guide you and show you what he wants you to do next. 

And that's a lot harder than you would think!  I think it's especially hard for me because I get really embarrassed if I don't do what the "leader" was leading me to do, and I'm always afraid I'm going to mess something up (especially since I'm new to this and don't know a lot).  You have to relax and not worry because swing dancing is a fun dance.

Sometimes it's scary to follow.  It seems easier to dance to my own routine, independent of anyone else.  

Just like often it seems easier to depend on ourselves and on what we can see and do in our own ability, instead of entrusting ourselves and our futures into the hands of God, whom we cannot physically see, or who may seem far away to us.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

-2 Corinthians 4:18

I think we set a big lot by our feelings.  Feelings are real, but they aren't always true.  You may very well feel like you're ugly, but that doesn't mean that you are.  You may very well feel that you're alone, but that doesn't mean that you are.  

You may feel like it's easier and safer to do your own thing and lead yourself, but that isn't true.  We have no idea how big this world is, and just how much trouble can be poured into one life from the world.  If we take all of this on our own shoulders, it only results in worry, fear, anxiety, and unrest for our whole lives.  

I read this in my devotional, Jesus Calling (by Sarah Young), today, and I really liked it.

Who is in charge of your life?  If it is you, then you have good reason to worry.  But if it is Me, then worry is both unnecessary and counterproductive.  When you start to feel anxious about something, relinquish the situation to Me.  Back off a bit, redirecting your focus to Me.  I will either take care of the problem myself or show you how to handle it.  In this world you will have problems, but you need not lose sight of Me.

In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world.  

John 16:33

Sometimes it seems harder to relinquish everything to God--to surrender it all to Him and just let Him take care of it.  It may seem safer to take it upon ourselves and try to get our own little ducks all in a row of our own.  But in reality, we have absolutely no idea how much trouble this sin-stained world is capable of giving us.  But God is the maker of that world, though it has been damaged by the sin humans initiated, and He is so high above all and any trouble!  It may seem like we're taking a step off into thin air when we hand our problems over to God without holding anything back, but sometimes that's just part of faith.  

Once you do that, and you hand your problems to God and let Him lead you, you can rise above all of the worry and the trouble and the anxiety and dance through your life with God leading you.

Sometimes it's scary to follow, but it's oh so worth it.

All images via Pinterest

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God bless you guys and have a great day!  :)

Joy :)