The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.... and spiders.

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.... and spiders."

My poor husband has a fear of spiders.  Like, a deep seeded hatred and fear of them, big or small.  I remember when we were first married, we lived in a bottom level apartment.  We seemed to get  a fair amount of spiders that wandered in.  One night, while we were asleep, I felt something crawl across my face.  I reached up with my hand and flung it off, then rolled over to go back to sleep.  Jeff, being a lite sleeper, woke up and asked me what was wrong.  I calmly replied, "I think I felt a spider crawling on me, but I flung it off.  No worries.  Go back to sleep."

Jeff, laid there for a bit, and then started sighing.  Loudly.  He went from sighing to jumping at every little movement or sound.  Finally he said, "I can't do this" and got up to turn on the lights.  He then proceeded to order me out of bed.  I stood to the side, sleepy and irritated, while he promptly tore the bed and bedroom apart until he came across a spider, which he quickly smushed.  It probably wasn't even the same spider, but in his mind, justice was served.  We put the bed back together and a few minutes later, he was happily snoring away.  Me?  Not so much.  I had been awake too long and now my body thought it was time to get up.  sigh.....

Fear.  It is an interesting emotion.  It can be a catalyst or it can be paralyzing.  So what are we afraid of?  What is the cause of some of our fears?

Fear of failure.

"I will not let fear of failure consume me.  I will live out my calling.  We are called to be bold."

"Every great thing starts out a little scary, doesn't it?"

 I decided sometime last year that I had gotten too comfortable with the status quo, that I needed to shake things up a bit.  So I decided that I would do some things that scare me.  This blog is one of the results of that decision.  After having a few people encourage me, it seemed the only thing holding me back was my own fear.  So, I stepped out and started this blog.  And guess what?  It's been fun.   In fact, I don't even know why I was afraid to do it.  I'm not even sure you can fail at a blog.  I guess you can if nobody reads it.  But, if no one reads it, what have you really lost?  Maybe some time?  That's not that scary is it?

Fear of Disaster

In today's world, we are so connected to what's happening around the world through the media.  Everyday you can find someone, somewhere giving speeches about upcoming doom and despair.   And yes, bad things and events do happen, but I would argue that more good things/events happen on a daily basis than bad.  In fact, More than half of the predicted bad outcomes never take place at all.  Hmmmmm......

I'm not saying that fear is all bad.  Fear often acts as a checkpoint to keep us from making bad decisions.  It can keep us from harming ourselves.  Fear can even help us to avoid or actively seek solutions for a predicted bad outcome. Fear has proven to be a catalyst for some amazing, history changing decisions.  For example, fear of disease has resulted in some amazing medical breakthroughs.

But fear can also immobilize us.  It can cause us to step away from our dreams.  It can prevent us from doing what's right.  It can steal your joy.  The Israelites let fear keep them out of the promised land.  That's how powerful fear can be.  Fear made them forget all that God had already done for them.  All the miracles.  All the provision.  Everything forgotten in a moment of fear.

So what should we do?  Don't lose yourself in fear.  Surround yourself with cheerleaders, not fear leaders.  Be courageous. Don't let fear and worry cripple you. Pray.  And, when you are feeling fearful, read what the Bible has to say about fear.  Did you know that the phrase, "Fear Not"  occurs  365 times in the Bible?  I'll leave you with a couple of verses from the Bible that deal with fear.

"No disaster can overtake you, no plague come near your tent; He has given His angles orders about you, to guard you wherever you go."  Psalm 91:10-11

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, thought the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though it's waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  There is a rive whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy plea where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, she will not fall;  God will help her at break of day.  Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts his voice, the earth melts.  The Lord Almighty is with us;  the God of Jacob is our fortress."  Psalm 46:1-7


Here's to wishing you a joy filled, fearless weekend!