Fear has been on my mind a lot the last couple of weeks. I’ve been reflecting on how much of my life is not “lived” because I am afraid. The interesting thing about fear is that we may not even notice when we are being fearful. It has us chained and yet we do not even realize that our hands are tied and our feet are bound.
I don’t like that idea and I am sure you don’t either.
What gets me a little bit more worked up is the very fact that fear is not of God.
Constantly in the Bible and by the words of really wise spiritual leaders that fear is in fact from the devil. Fear is preventing us from doing the will of God. It is the devils greatest tool. How many times are we told to “be not afraid.”
We are told constantly.
Of course we are human. We are subject to fearful emotions, battles of the day, pain and misfortune. However, is there a choice to be afraid?
While reflecting on fear I thought of St.Mother Teresa’s quote,
“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
What about the paradox of fear?
By fearing loneliness, many of us hide away creating our own prison cells.
By fearing hurting others, we avoid those we love and hurt them by mere omission.
By fearing failure in our classes, we are paralyzed and do not study, leading to failure.
The evil in this world is using fear to cause us to create our own downfall. The demons cannot harm us. The devil has no power over us. However, evil is constantly seeking to manipulate our free will. Evil is doing everything it can do to cause us to destroy ourselves.
You will feel afraid.
Just like Daniel in the lions den.
I am sure the lions did not just leave him alone down there.
I’m sure they still growled, still showed off their shiny teeth.
I’m sure they walked around him and sniffed him pushy him back with their noses.
But through it all, Daniel trusted in God and waited.
I encourage you all today to stare fear in the face. Allow it to growl and shout at you. Let it whisper lies into your ears. Allow it to show you the doom.
And in the midst of it all….puff out your chest.
Smile.
Rise up.
The Lord is here. He is ever present. You are His child.
Be not afraid.
Walk upon the water during the storm, keeping your eyes ALWAYS fixed on him.
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