All of us without exception have at one time or another in our lives experienced fear. Feeling fear is natural, if we didn’t we would not be humans. The important thing is to understand what type of fear is upon us as there are many types, some healthy and of course some extremely unhealthy.
For example, if I went up to the top of a skyscraper and walked on the edge of it I would be right to feel fear. This type of fear is there to protect me and keep me alive. On the other hand if I went up to the last floor of the same building and sat inside an office, and every time I looked out the window I began to sweat uncontrollably because I felt like the building was collapsing under my feet, this would indicate that an unhealthy fear was at work within me and that something was wrong.
Those of us that choose to live and remain within the grips of an oppressive fear find that the urge to control and manipulate events and situations is an ever present force within our lives. Over time we become addicted to this way of life because through the control and the manipulation we are unfortunately given the false sense of security that tell us that we can somehow apease and keep the fear at bay if we just manage to keep a tap on everything about us and others. Here we learn to hold on tight to things thus leaving no room in our lives to be able to receive anything new or healthy.
We need to ask God to help us discover each day how well and how much He loves us real time. As we discover this we begin to sense a new courage and trust emerging from within our hearts that enable us to start to hold on loosely to our lives which leads us into a space where we indirectly make room for life to flow new and healthy things in and through our beings.
I have come to understand that the best way to overcome fear is to walk right into the presence of the very thing we are scared of. The only way that this has a chance of happening is if we are surrendered to the grace and love of God and not to the futile attempts of holding tight to everything around us. In Psalm 34:4 it says that God delivered David not from his problems or obstacles but instead he delivered him from his fears. I have a funny feeling that this meant that he had to face the obstacles and the problems as it was in the middle of those that he discovered, like we will, the love, truth, and peace that will be responsible for setting us free!
Remember – Love is what we are born with. Oppressive fear is what we learn here.
Have a great and fearless weekend!
-pablo-
Photo by Helen C.
