Book Review – Breaking The Fear Cycle

When I signed up to read and review this book, I had no idea how God was going to minister to me through this book. It has been exactly what I needed to read right now.

You see, I am just realizing more and more, as I’m reading this book, how much I have been living in fear. I hate sharing too much online of my personal struggles. There is just no way of knowing who all might be reading. It is scary to put yourself out there, but for this book, I feel like I do have to be real.

This book is very real. The author asks many searching questions, including getting you to ask yourself “What are my deepest fears?” “What are things in life that you are most afraid of?” and many more.

About the book:

It seems there is more to fear now than ever, but fear and anxiety are nothing new to human beings–or to God. The Bible calls us to not be afraid on many occasions, and of course we all want to live without fear. But just how is that accomplished when every news item seems designed to get us wringing our hands?

Using her own story as a catalyst, Maria Furlough shows readers how to overcome fear for good. She calls readers to make a list of their fears, to choose to bring those fears to God rather than acting on them, and to trust God with the future. She shows how when we give God full control over our lives, choosing his sovereignty over our own ability, we can break the cycle of fear, grow through suffering, and trust God to fulfill his promises of protection and peace.

Anyone who is filled with anxiety over their personal circumstances, the state of the world today, or even their fear-clogged social media feeds will welcome this hands-on journey from fear to freedom.

 

This book was written by a lady that lost a child. She found out, while still pregnant, that her child would not live. Oh the fears and heartaches she faced as she processed all of this.

That fear is something that I can relate to just a bit, but from a different angle. You see, last summer, we lost a dear little niece. One that we prayed for oh so much, and hoped against all hope that she would be healed. And yet, God chose to not heal her in the way we hoped. All we wanted to say was WHY??!! How can this be good?

I’m realizing more that I have lived most of my life with too much fear hanging over me.

One fear I’ve lived with most of my life is that fear of failure. Being rejected or unloved when/if I don’t measure up to a certain level. I still struggle with this.

Other fears that are deep…and it feels like some of these fears actually have come to pass in the past few years, things that hurt too much to share here.

What I am grappling with, more than anything, is how to move on…How to let them go….how to see the goodness of God in all of it.

How can I stop trying to ‘control’ my life and realize that I can stop worrying and know that God has it all under control, so much better than I could even begin to imagine!

I’ve only made it through Chapter 5 yet, and this is very much a book that takes time to process, there’s no rushing it. I want to work through the rest of it, and yet it does hurt in the reading…that kind of hurt that you know is God at work, helping me to realize more what He wants for me.

If you are struggling with life, or have fears, may I suggest you try this book? It’s not an easy read. Do it when you have alone time, and keep your tissues handy. Cry out to God. Allow Him to be God, trust His goodness. I have not yet achieved, I am still striving…it is a difficult journey. And yet, I know it will be worth it all!

I’d like to share a few quotes:

“You cannot stop fear from coming, but it is your choice whether you are going to let it in.”

“You see, God is good and merciful, and we do not need a huge dose of faith to bring our fear to Him. We need only a tiny little bit.”

Lies about being in control…”If I can just put my household on a good schedule, keep the house perfectly spotless, and make only home-cooked meals, then I will be a good wife and mother.” (this is not me exactly, but just a bit too close for comfort!) she then goes on to say “It’s a lie. We know that it is, and that is why we fear so much. Deep down we know we are not in control, and we hate it. But the truth is that our “out of controlness” is really the greatest gift God could ever give to us. He is far better at being God than we are, but because He loves us so much, He meets us in our waywardness. He wants us to wrestle with Him. God wants us to bring to Him, full force, all that we want to have control over. He wants to hear our moans, our complaints, and our opinions, and in these meetings, He wants to show off His splendor.”

I think that one way to deal with fears is to face them head on and then relinquish them to God. Easy to say, not so easy to do! I think it will be a continual, lifelong process for me!

If you are struggling with fears, I’d love to hear from you. Tell me I am not alone in all of this! Let’s lift each other to our heavenly Father!