We've talked a bit about fear on Words and Whimsy
before, but the subject keeps rearing its ugly head in our lives; and now we're prepared to take a (more) serious tone.
Seriously, guys, this is important.
Fear can't dictate our lives if we want to live them fully, with love and abandon.
And yet I find that I've allowed fear to hold me in a death grip much too often. I avoid making decisions that will put me in a position to be vulnerable or face something scary. I desperately evade disappointing people because I'm afraid of being wrong or of being accused of being wrong. Sometimes this leads to actual wrongdoing. Other times it simply takes me down the safe path, where I don't have to grow spiritually, emotionally, mentally.
Giving in to fear keeps us from intimacy with other people.
Giving in to fear keeps our growth stunted.
Giving in to fear causes us to miss out.
Fear happens to even the bravest soul. It's natural and human to be afraid. But what we do with it determines where we go, who we know and how we grow.
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." -2 Timothy 1:7
Brandie and I have decided to face our fears deliberately, to ask Why am I afraid of this? If the root cause is not something mindlessly dangerous, we will put ourselves in a position to encounter that fear and defeat it.
This means doing more of the things that scare us. Branching out, trying new things, being assertive, taking chances. Saying prayers and taking leaps into the dark.
What will this look like for us? Maybe it means taking a solo road trip, being open to a new relationship, going somewhere new, or pursuing what we love instead of what's safe and expected. Or maybe it's something seemingly-insignificant, like trying a food that's always sounded disgusting, striking up a conversation with a stranger or registering for a full-length triathlon.
Whatever it means to you, try facing up to your fears alongside us. I'm willing to bet that we'll find that there's no truth behind the terror, and we may just be stronger and more godly as a result. Bring on the growth, knowledge, newness and (maybe even) fun!
Cheers,
Chelsea
P.S. --Mom, I know you don't want us skydiving or base jumping. But as part of this anti-fear project, we just may have to face the terror of jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet. ;) More to come on that...
