When I'm feeling low, I'm an easy target for the devil to attack with thoughts of my past rebellious moments and failures of every kind. He's not called The Accuser for nothing, after all. There have even been times when I've been burdened with the guilt of things I did as a child. Now, I know I've been forgiven - that's a promise I count on every day.

But guilt still plagues me. It can weigh me down, darken my outlook, enfeeble me, and keep me from living victoriously.

That's why I was thrilled to find this nugget in Isaiah 44, verse 22, Jehovah speaking through the prophet:
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me, for I have redeemed you.

Isn't that a beautiful pciture? Because Jesus Christ paid the penalty in full, God has swept away our sins - gone! Just like the fog in the photo above, which was gone within minutes, our failings are nothing more than a misty memory, one that can do no more harm. We are redeemed! When we are attacked by the Accuser, we can run to the open arms of our heavenly Father, as bright as a cloud-free sky.

 And that's a reason to rejoice.

What do you think? Am I alone in this, or do you suffer attacks through feelings of guilt? What do you do about it? Let's share!

If you've seen my Facebook page (Kathleen Friesen, Writer and Timid Warrior), you may have wondered what I mean. What is a timid warrior?

Well, my natural tendency is to be timid; some (like my husband!) would call me a worry-wart. I much prefer comfort to conflict, and when I'm confronted with challenges, my first inclination is to hide or run away. I don't want to deal with unreasonable people or frightening situations. But God has other plans. He doesn't care nearly as much about my comfort as He does my character. So, of course, that means I get challenged. Can you relate?

God's word tells us to "fight the good fight." .Ephesians chapter 6 even outlines the armor we need for this fight. The really scary part is knowing that our fight is "not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the poiers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph. 6:12)

Yikes! Now where's my blankie? Hmm, I don't think even the plushest blanket will help here. But we have a Comforter, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who, we are promised, we never leave us. When we are confronted by evil, He is with us. When we are faced with heartbreak, He is there. No matter what, we are not alone.

That is why, even though I am not brave, I can call myself a warrior. I will probably always be timid, but with Jesus' Spirit in me, "I can do all things." He covers me with His strength and with His peace. By His grace, I am moving from worrier to warrior.

What does being a warrior mean to you? Are you able to face evil head-on? How do you cope with threats and

What scares you? Thunderstorms? Financial insecurity? Illness in yourself or a loved one? Spiders? (Yuck!)

Just like the main character is "Melody's Song," I tend to worry. There are many things that scare me, threats of almost any kind. And when I worry, I feel guilty for my lack of faith.

Lately, though, I've been wondering if this tendency isn't actually a gift. When fears push me to run to my Father's arms, that's a good thing. Fear is what I feel; faith is what I know: the God who loves me enough to sacrifice His only Son for my sake is also mighty enough to trust with every circumstance.

I wish I could say I always remember that, but it's just not the case. Often fear inverts me so that all I can see are the dire possibilities in my vivid imagination. Learning to trust God completely is a journey, and for me, probably a life-long path.

How about you? How do worries and fears affect you and your faith? Can fear be positive? Or is it always negative? Let's talk about it!