Facing Fear

 

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”  FDR

In times like these we tend to fear things. Like fear of the unknown, the fear of losing our jobs, fear of dying.  Mostly, I think we fear the loss of control and the inability to protect those we love.

Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul.”  Rather, we should attempt to be like the Psalmist who says, “And now Lord, what do I wait for?   My hope is in you.”

Now, that sounds all spiritual, but, fear still sounds scary to me.  However, if I say I trust in God I need to live that way.  Therefore, despite my apprehension I must push past what I feel.

Here is a list of some fears that I struggle with from time to time, in no particular order:

-Fear of my family’s future.  Long story short but life has taught me that I need to do my part, but my family is in God’s hands and that is where they are safest.

-Fear of the unknown.  I say I trust God with everything, yet I am inconsistent.  He can see yesterday, today and tomorrow all at the same time and yet I have trust issues.  I need to let God deal with the unknown.

-Fear of dying.  The older I get the more I think we are just passing through and all our bodies are just rentals.  Not to mention, if Jesus says heaven is far better than here, who am I to question.

-Fear of not being good enough. This is a work in progress in my life because I want to be content, without being indifferent. 

-Fear of failure.  At least for me, I have begun to embrace the fact that I fail a lot and store away the knowledge I gain through difficulty, then use it at a later date.

-Fear of the dark.  Not so much anymore, seems I am outgrowing that one.  Now, I am more afraid of what is in the darkness. 

Fear of sharks. Sounds silly I know because I have a better chance of being hit by lightning than getting attacked by a Great White.  However, sharks are a lot like other intimidating situations in life that bare their teeth and at full speed take a run at us seeking to destroy us.

-Fear of being paralyzed or getting Alzheimer’s. Lately, I’ve been reading the book, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. that was written by a forty year old man who had locked-in disorder.  I know this may be getting worked up over nothing, but what illness may befall your body cannot always be avoided.  See fear of the unknown.

- Fear of evil.  It is everywhere and seems so intimidating and overwhelming, yet evil will not win the day.  Like Edmund Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

“One fear I need never have is the fear of not knowing God.”
Swavel