We often hear that we need to “face our fears.” I think the first step is to differentiate feelings of fear and anxiety from true threats. A professional surfer has to ask himself if he is anxious about an upcoming competition or about the real danger of the sharks that were spotted in the area.
When I was a kid I spent every summer riding horses, and I never lost my healthy respect for them. I knew that horses can sense a rider’s fear and that causes them to get nervous. So, I would control my initial feelings of apprehension and then mount the horse without hesitation. I learned to do the same when going through parts of town where thieves are common. Fear shows, and it’s safer to know exactly where you are going and to project strength and confidence as you walk
I read an interesting quote about our fears and worried thoughts: “Anxiety isn’t intuition, fear isn’t wisdom, worry isn’t preparation. Question them. Most will crumble under scrutiny.” 1
Fear paralyzes, and therefore we should not make decisions based on fear. Also, many of our fears concern situations that we can do little about, such as the fate of the world or how we are going to spend our dying days.
So how should we face our fears? With faith. Not blind faith, but faith that is based on the fact that God loves and cares for us, as is written in His Word. When we put our faith in Him, He will help us sort through both the unfounded fears and the real dangers. He will guide us through all we face in life. The following poem illustrates this point.
Three men were walking on a wall, Feeling, Faith, and Fact,
When Feeling got an awful fall, and Faith was taken back.
So close was Faith to Feeling, he stumbled and fell too,
But Fact remained, and pulled Faith back,
And Faith brought Feeling too. 2
The articles in this month’s issue are on the theme of overcoming fear and worry. It is a treasure chest of inspiration, practical tips, biblical examples, and personal testimonies that we’re sure you will enjoy.
May God bless you with a faith-filled life!