Halloween is the time we love to scare others. When I was a teenager, we loved to go to the local haunted house and get scared. There’s something funny, and maybe a little weird, about scaring somebody else. But in reality, fear is not funny at all.
Fear can be destructive in your life. Fear stops us from progressing. Fear prevents us from succeeding. Fear pulls us back into a hole of failure. It was fear that kept the ‘Cowardly Lion’ from becoming what he was created to be – the king of the jungle.
But there really are some things in life that are fearful. Cancer, financial disasters, war, pain, hurts all bring on a certain fear. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is acting in spite of our fear.
In Bill Hybels’ book, Simplify, he presents 3 weapons against fear. If there is something in your life that has paralyzed you, I hope these will help you conquer your fear.
Self-Talk. At first this sounded kind of ‘new age’ or too much ‘self-help.’ But as it is explained, I do this all the time. We all talk to ourself. We just need to make sure we are telling ourselves the truth. When I’m afraid, I need to remind myself that I’m going to be okay. This event did not surprise God and He knows how it will all end. God’s not afraid so I’m going to be okay. Fear tends to maximize what might happen bad. I need to remind myself that the ‘worst-case scenario’ is seldom what happens.
For example, when I am high on a ladder and get a little scared that I might fall, I need to remind myself that this ladder can hold me. Most people don’t fall. I’ve never fallen off a tall ladder. And this time I’m not going to fall. To manage fear we need to stop exaggerating what might happen and push back the panicky feelings we naturally get. Boldly remind yourself the truth of the situation, your own abilities to handle it, and God’s willingness to help you. It will help you regain your balance, both physically and emotionally.
Scripture. As a Christian, I have a Bible full of promises. I can overcome my fear by knowing that when I face my fear, God will help me. Though God is always with me, I have found that His presence is almost tangible when I’m afraid. When you are afraid, remind yourself of some verses. Here are a few.
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm 34:4
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:5,9
You never have to face your fear alone. God is your silent partner. Scriptures promise and remind us of this.
Prayer. In many parts of our world, Christians are persecuted to the extent that it reminds me of the early church. I just finished watching video series “I am N” depicting the persecutions of Islamic terrorists against Christians in the Middle East (Note: ‘N’ in Arabic identifies those who follow the Nazarene, Jesus). It is horrible what they are going through. Yet, many are not fearful, but hopeful. They, like the early church, have resorted to prayer to give them courage (Act 12:5).
If we are honest, most of our prayers are not life-or-death petitions. But if you have ever had to face cancer or some incident that rocked you to your knees, you know that all you can do at that point is cry out desperately to God in prayer. And even in those times of fear, you somehow know God is there. I honestly don’t know how people who don’t believe in God can go through times like this. But I have been in plenty of desperate situations where the only thing appropriate was to pray. And prayer was the most important thing we could do at the time.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that when our fears begin to overwhelm us, we should turn to prayer. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to god. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard you hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
So when you face your fear, tell God about it. Regardless of the outcome of the circumstance, God is with you and you can expect His peace will follow as you pray to Him.
You can read some of my similar articles: Fear of Rejection, How to Stop Worry, Thy Will Be Done, Life Lessons from the Wizard of Oz.