Fear

What is it about fear that paralyzes us so?  That makes us stuck and unable to move.  Preventing us from doing even the simplest things.  Logic plays no more role, reason has lost it’s grip.

Just you and the fear.  All alone.

Left to make a choice, To get stuck and refuse to move on, or to face whatever it is ahead of us and refuse to back down.

To succumb, or overcome.

Fear often seems the easy way out, the right choice because it avoids so much

Pain

Embarrassment

Failure.

But in the end, by surrendering to fear it causes us to miss out on greatness.  Nothing great has been done without in some way facing down one’s fear.

So do we back down?  Do we listen to the fear and run away because we’re afraid?

Of Failure?

Of Rejection?

Of Humiliation?

Of Hurt?

Of Disappointment?

Or do we cast our cares to the wind and dive headlong into our greatest fears refusing to listen to our doubts knowing that something better is out there for us.

Perfect love casts out fear…yet too often we fail to rest in that love.  To trust, to hope, to dream and to escape the nightmare that we all too often find ourselves in.

By resting in His love we find a place that is safe – not a place without danger, without pain, without risk – but a place in which we are given the strength to overcome, to get back up when knocked down to risk time and time again, no matter how many times we fail.

There will always be someone there to carry you through.

When we’re honest, truly honest, fear holds all of us hostage in one way or another.

Afraid to risk a new job

To follow what you feel called to do

To open oneself to others

Even something as simple as asking someone out

We stop, and freeze, and refuse to do anything because we are unsure of what the future holds.

If we’re not careful we may live a life ruled by fear, let it control our actions, our dreams and end up somewhere we never expected living blasé risk free lives.  Fighting fear isn’t easy but it’s worth it.  I’m trying my best not to be afraid anymore, not to back down because I’m afraid of what’s going to happen.

I try to meet girls online because the rejection is easier to take – never outright, never in your face.  I may not approach a girl because I’m afraid of what may happen making their decision for them – thinking I’m not good enough, attractive enough, funny enough – afraid of what they may think.

I’m hesitant to pursue my dream – to start a church, to reinvasion my faith and inspire others.  The fear of failure echoing in my mind telling me I’m not qualified, that I have no clue what I’m doing.  That I can’t be used.  I’m afraid of what may happen so I make God’s decision for him.

I don’t want to be afraid anymore.  I want to stand up.  I want to trust. 

I want to truly live.

Lord help me.