By Chris WittsFriday 30 Sep 2022Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
We tend to talk a lot about fear. It’s very real. Many people seem to have an ongoing issue in combating their fears. Whatever they are. If we avoid everything that makes us anxious, that could hold us back and lead to more problems. Avoiding things we fear actually makes the fears bigger in our mind.
Facing our fears can help make us stronger. Sometimes our active imaginations run away with themselves. That doesn’t make the feelings any less real. But we shouldn’t let fear control our lives. I think quite a few people allow their fear to control everything they do. Everyone is scared of something at some point in their lives. The only way to deal with fear is to face it.
Avoiding these fears only prevents us from moving forward. So be gentle with yourself and do only what feels safe to you. If you find yourself getting more panicky, take a break. Find something more pleasant to do. If it feels safe later on, you can try to explore that fear again, taking breaks as you need.
If you find it difficult to address chronic fears or anxieties on your own. Note that there are counsellors or therapists that can be help you to work through some strategies. If you’ve experienced some type of trauma, it is especially important to work with a professional to create a safe environment where you can face your fear and reconstruct your memories.
The fact is that both children and adults are affected by fears in dozens of different ways. Actually, fear is often learned during childhood, and that’s a memory hard to erase. Some fears include the dread of public speaking, the fear of crowds or being alone, and then the fear of rejection. That’s very common, or the fear of death or the fear of failure.
Now, many other anxieties afflict and upset people throughout the world. There’s healthy fear and harmful fear. So what does healthy fear look like? If you ever saw the 1962 Academy Award winning motion picture ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, there was one scene where a violent wild dog was roaming a residential neighbourhood and the dog was causing frightened people to huddle in their homes for protection.
Atticus Finch, he was the main actor, played by Gregory Peck, chose to deal with the threat alone. He took his rifle, thus ending the menace he was facing. The fear and so legitimate healthy fear can be faced up to. There was a willingness to take steps to confront it. An Atticus Finch in the movie faced his fear head on, so unless healthy fear is tackled, it can be distorted into harmful, destructive fear. No one is fearless, but if you’re capable of powering through, it is very possible to face your fears. You’ve just got to be willing to take that first step.
Resisting fear is possible, but there is another vital element here. Fear should be confronted with the help of God. Our creator. God does not want us to endure harmful, destructive fear because he offers power, support and encouragement in combating our fears and with his divine help, it is possible to overcome all fear.
The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1 “for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” The spirit of fear does not originate from God, but arises in the human mind influenced by Satan the devil.
It was not God’s original plan that we should live in fear. God wants us to live in freedom of mind, to think through the issues which come along, especially those that we’re not expecting and not to be possessed by fear. Some people feel lost and alone in their fears, or they might be embarrassed when they display anxiety. The fact is that all people experience fear. Even the great personalities of the Bible expressed and endured fearfulness.
The Apostle Paul articulated some of his personal fears to the church people at Corinth, and he said it was trouble at every turn. Wrangling all around me fears in my own mind. That’s a version from 2 Corinthians 7:5 and even Jesus when he walked on Earth discovered what human fear was like. And he understands our fears and worries. So when we are anxious and fearful, we can instantly call on his powerful help because he’s waiting to help us today.
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, today we do need to face our fears and not run away from them. But Lord, it’s easier said than done when we have things going on that we are fearful of. Will you help us, Lord, to tackle those fears in the strength of Jesus Christ, amen.