fear – Mona Sabah – Former Muslim

If we believe that God is Sovereign and that God has ordered and ordained things from eternity past, then it is safe to say that He ordered and planned for me to speak at the First Baptist Church in Wainwright Oklahoma today. It is very humbling to think that the Lord of the Universe, Creator God would deign to see it fit that I would go out and share my testimony about Him to a tiny, teeny little town in Oklahoma.

That’s exactly what took place today.

I got to drive 2.5 hours there and 2.5 hours back. Honestly, I was not relishing the thought of the long drive and then speaking all day. However, I have a very sweet and faithful church family that prays for me (and for my attitude). Their prayers helped to sustain me and so I set off with my daughter to Wainwright. On the way, we saw a beautiful sunrise and God’s creative handiwork. I was reminded of His lovingkindness towards us.

Sunrise over Oklahoma

At the church, I got to meet such sweet women who want to be obedient to Scripture and to learn how to share the Gospel with others. I was truly blessed and reminded of the family of God who worship Him together in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24). I also had to opportunity to share what God has done for me. I have written about September 11 many times on my blog (see this post and this one). However, 9/11 is a very tangible part of my testimony. It was these jarring events that shook up the United States 20 years ago that helped to shape my testimony of God’s saving grace upon me. Instead of fearing September 11 (and yes, the terrorist attacks were designed to instill fear), the day marked the beginning of the Lord waking me up to how He was orchestrating my life.

September 11 shook me up on a very personal level because while I was born a Muslim, I did not truly understand Islam. I had never read the Quran until that time or even prayed five times a day. It was these events that prompted me to learn more about my beliefs and to find out why the terrorists did what they did and why the Muslim world was relatively silent about condemning the perpetrators of that crime.

When I read the Quran, I learned about Isa Ibn Maryam (Isa = Iesous (Greek) = Jesus) in Surah 19. As I read about Him and found myself curious about His special place in the Quran. Why was He so special as to be born of a virgin? Why did He do so many miracles? Why was He the one to come back on Judgment Day? Why, why, why? All these questions and confusion.

I was not able to answer any of these questions because no one had shared the Gospel of Good News about Christ. It wasn’t until several years after 9/11 that the Gospel was shared with me and my husband. The moment the words of the Gospel hit our ears, we believed. As I share during my testimony, we walked into an office as dead people and through the miracle of God, we walked out new creations in Christ.

There are a lot of things happening around the world right now. Islam is at the forefront again with Afghan refugees coming to the United States. We can either react to this news with fear or we can welcome it as yet another opportunity from the Lord for fulfilling the Great Commission He gave to His children in Matthew 28:18-20 “18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Will you go even if it means getting out of your comfort zone? Will you go to a tiny town where no one really famous lives? Will you go to your next door neighbor?

Will you GO?

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If you Google “Fear of Rejection,” you’ll find about 54,700,000 results in 0.42 seconds. It is a real fear – there are phobias named for this. As a people-pleaser, I know that it’s difficult for me to not be liked by everyone. When I was a child and had just moved to the United States, I was always the LAST ONE to be chosen for a team… I don’t blame them – I didn’t know how to play baseball or dodge-ball. Nobody wanted a “loser” to be on their team! Later, as a senior manager in a corporate setting, I would try to be on everyone’s team to gain their favor. I was told by my boss that it was ridiculous for me to please everyone. Going through life, the career advice I received was correct.

Rejection comes all the time and in many different ways. Our children suffer through it, we have strangers and friends who reject our ideas, plans or even dreams and even family members who don’t want to have anything to do with us. How do we handle this as adults? What’s behind all of this? Why are we not able to help our own children with the rejection they will face?

We are created as social beings, to have community with others and not be isolated. When we are rejected, it can cause a loss of self-confidence (maybe I’m not good enough, maybe I’m a failure, I smell bad, look weird, etc) – even depression. Psychologists say that at the heart of the fear is the avoidance of pain and suffering. So we try to cope with other ways of feeling good. Some turn to drugs and alcohol, while others live in a constant state of worry.

Where does your confidence and assurance come from?

Is it from other people? If so, be careful… they maybe as fearful or broken as you.

Is it from doing good works? If so, those can ring hollow after a while when no one else notices!

Is it from your career? Is it from money? Take a look and examine yourself.

The only thing that has changed my view on rejection, pain and suffering is CHRIST.

jesus_cross_dies — Passion of the Christ

Christ suffered pain from scourging, beatings, and being nailed to the cross. His trauma on the cross brought about a new word in our language “excruciating” which means literally out of the cross (ex: out & cruc: cross). He is the only sinless person to ever live who had his blood poured out drop by drop for the salvation of sinful man. He felt pain until the last moment when he cried out in John 19:30 “It is finished.”

If you are a believer in Christ as your Lord and Savior, what are you worried about? He promised us that we would be rejected as he said in John 15: “17 This is My command to you: Love one another. 18If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. ” We are actually CALLED to suffer and be JOYFUL in the things we are dealing with! Why?

Romans 5:3-5 answers this:

3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

So… what’s your hang up? Why worry about being rejected and having to suffer. Christ suffered and if we are to reflect Christ as Christians, we should be ready with the knowledge that we will be rejected. We will be mocked as foolish. We will suffer… but we will overcome these things — not in our own power, but in the power of Christ who has defeated death, the ultimate enemy and has RISEN from the grave! Hallelujah!

What a reason to celebrate REJECTION!!!

May Christ be the ONE you turn to for your confidence and assurance. Amen.

Mona Sabah – Former Muslim

Tag: fear

Remembering 9/11

Fear of Rejection