Fear Is A Four Letter Word
For as long as I can remember, that four letter word fear has been a most unwelcome companion of mine, a curse you might say. I’ve tried to raise my children to be strong in the face of fear so that they would not have to deal with some of the stuff I’ve endured. But my dog? Well, she’s just a scaredy-dog!
She absolutely loves people, sometimes too much. My daughter says that Roxie has no concept of personal space. When visitors are over, she is right in their faces, her tail wagging her whole body. But she does not like other dogs, no sir-ree. On our walk in the park, we came across the tiniest dog. Quaking with fear, Roxie ran behind my legs and encircled the leash around them. I nearly fell over. It was not pretty!
Later, the plumber arrived. Roxie snuggled in under the sink with him, so I had to block her off. And what did I use? Something else she is afraid of – paper bags!
So here is Roxie trapped in the dining room behind four empty paper bags from this morning’s shopping. If she so much as sneezed, they’d blow over. But now, she is a prisoner of her own fears.
Roxie and terrifying bags
Too often, what we are afraid of is just substance of our own making. You have probably heard of the acronym F-E-A-R = False Evidence Appearing Real. It’s true that some fears are based on very real situations (a diagnosis from the doctor, a child or spouse in the military, job layoffs, economic disasters), but unfortunately and all too often, it’s just our emotions run amok.
While on a retreat, the group leaders shared a common thread that was mentioned in each of the groups. When discussing what prevented the group members from fufilling God’s calling in their lives, most mentioned fear. Fear of speaking to someone, fear of taking a stand, fear of moving out of their comfort zone, fear of the unknown, fear of repercussions, fear of failure, and so on.
Over the years, I’ve learned that there is only one fear we ought to have – the “fear of the Lord.” There is nothing else to fear. It’s said that “fear not” appears 365 times in the Word. This means that there is a “fear not” for every single day! Fear has served a purpose in my life. It has kept me on my knees. I know God can supernaturally remove it, and He has done so on occasion. But, if He doesn’t, I understand that it causes me to go to Him.
When the entire nation of Israel was terrified of the giant Goliath, young David had another perspective. He utters one of my favorite verses in the Bible, “Who is this uncircumcized Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” When I am facing a fearful situation, I now try to keep an eternal perspective, and not feel overpowered by it.
“Thou wilt keep (her) in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because (s)he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, ….”1 John 4:18
“In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” Psalm 56:4
“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind..” 2 Tim. 1:7
What is it that you are facing today? If you seriously think about it, is it just a paper bag? Or is it real? Can you see beyond the immediate situation to view this problem from an eternal viewpoint? Whether real or not, will you make it a matter of prayer today? Please leave a comment so that I can pray for and with you.
In those famous words of FDR, for most of us “there is nothing to fear, but fear itself.”
www.susanpanzica.com
www.eternitycafe.blogspot.com
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Hi Susan, thank you so much for this post, it could not be more relevant, I have struggled with fear for the most part of my life so that often it feels like it grips/seizes me. Bless you and thank you for sharing
Really appreciate this post.
Poor Roxie and those bad paper bags. It must be the sound she doesn’t like.
Kate & Denise, I’m so glad the post resonated with you. It’s such a common issue for us, isn’t it?
Absolutely, I believe it holds back so many from their callings as it opposes our faith. So good to talk about it so people can pray for one another and expose the truth of His word. Thanks again 🙂 and your dog, whilst struggling in this area, is gorgeous!
Great post Susan! No doubt we all fear something, the bags cracked me up, but then I thought about it and realized its no laughing matter, that what we fear is simply just a barrier, like the bags to your dog. May God help us overcome those things that keep us captive. (blessings)
I’ve never heard that acronym for fear: False Evidence Appearing Real. ‘Love it! The statement reaffirms 90-some percent of the what-ifs we worry about never happen. Thank you for the reminder that when we properly and consistently fear the Lord, all other fears have no power over us!
Hi Susan,
Practically everything I’ve ever worried about or feared never happened. I could have spared myself a lot of anxiety. My husband, Leo, used to say, “Just trust Jesus, Maude. Just trust Jesus.” I’d think, “Easy for you to say.” But, he did trust Jesus, right to his last breath.
Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the pix of your scardy-dog!
It seems as if Roxie thinks she human… a human who’s afraid of dogs:) Beautiful post, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing, I like the story of your dog and the application we can all make to our own fears. It looks funny to us because we know the bags won’t cause the dog any harm. How often are we like that with our own fears?
Good post!
I love that acronym. So true. An old minister once compared the devil to an old lion with no teeth. He can roar. Loudly. But his teeth have been removed.
I love that, too.
Hi Susan,
It’s fun to look back into your writings and ponderings. Your comment about “being a prisoner of her own fears” was poignant. Thanks.
Have a great week.
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
This is such a timely message for the women of today. I have devoted a chapter in my book to this topic but it needs a whole book – or two! More “fear” of God – yes and amen.
Blessings!