Fearless Week One
I was caught up by the idea of Max Lucado’s most recent book, ‘Fearless’. On the book co
ver is the picture of a young boy, fitted with snorkel, mask, and fins, jumping without a concern in the world off the end of a boat dock. I don’t remember much about fear when I was a boy. But as I grew older, I learned about fear of things known (like getting hit by lighting if I stood under a tree), and things unknown (as when I walked into my first college level class).
There is another fear, though, that seems to come in the package as we grow up. It is the fear of what might happen. These are the kinds of worries that Lucado writes about. I think we will make some discoveries from the discussions we have while we work through the next six weeks of topics.
So let’s begin this Lenten discussion with some of our experiences of fear. When you are up against fear in a situation, what things do you do to avoid feeling fear? How do you live with fear? And what lessons have you learned from fear?
I am really looking forward to our “Fearless” Lenten study series.
I think a far more insidious aspect of fear is the reality that we are uncomfortable with the fact that we are unable to control all aspects of our lives, no matter how much we may want to. In a way, this is an attempt to put the responsibility on ourselves alone for all outcomes based on our own ability to handle difficulties that come our way.
But this attempt to supplant ourselves in the role that God and God alone should rightfully occupy really goes against God’s plan for us in our lives. But there must be enough of a reward in doing so if we keep perpetuating the practice, even if it goes against God’s intention.
I think one of the most destructive aspects of fear is that it is a doorway emotion into potentially destructive behaviors and feelings such as anger.
This is something that I encounter again and again in my jail ministry. Especially when people have tremendous control issues and must face day by day the powerlessness of their situation and the inability to effect any real change. They get pretty angry.
What if we took a moment to take a look at the things that are making us fearful, let them know that they are heard and offer to them God’s heart of compassion rather than frustration and anger? What might that be like?
The difficult part to me of dealing with fears is knowing when to let them go versus when and how to react. I understand trusting in God when faced with fears, but there has to be a certain amount of reaction, action on the individual’s part to overcome the fears; and the trick is to maintain a balance between being frozen in fear and separating what we can control from what we cannot control. Being aware, being proactive, taking responsibility for myself, reaching out to help others, planning for the future, not over-extending — these are all things that can help calm fears. Then prayer and faith take care of the rest. Fear can motivate us to do what is right and good if we pay attention and if we take the initiative. May God help us discern and react appropriately.
I can recall two instances when I felt fearful. One was when I was about 9 years old. A boy, Gary, who lived up the road from us would go to the creek and catch gopher snakes for his Dad’s alfalfa fields to control the gophers. He would stop when he saw me in my front yard and ask if I would like to see the snakes he caught. I was afraid of snakes and even had bad dreams about them, however I wasn’t going to ever let him know I was afraid, so I would hold my breath, walk down the driveway and look in the box and compliment him on his snakes. My fear was if he knew I was afraid of them he might chase me with one of them. The second instance was when leaving a store it was dark and I had to walk a fair distance in the parking lot. It was light out when I went in. I browsed too long. Anyway, I made sure I had my keys in hand and my fear heightened, my awareness of my surroundings, so I bravely hurried to my car. There was no real danger. My response to fear is to be proactive. Life is too short to spend it in fear, especially if the presence of Jesus is always with me. I just need to be aware of his presence.