Are you a scaredy-cat? I am
sometimes. At other times, I’m almost
too bold! I once did a study on the meek
and quiet spirit mentioned in 1 Peter 3:4 and found that those words indicate a
woman/person who is not ruled by fear or anger.
Those definitions have stayed with me.
They help me to judge my reactions and create courage and balance in my
heart.
This past Christmas we got to spend a few days with our son and his family who had just arrived in Spain as missionaries. My two granddaughters and I had great fun making sandmen (as opposed to snowmen) on the beach. It wasn’t beautifully warm, but that didn’t stop us digging in the sand and enjoying time together.
There was a metal half-sphere climbing frame on the beach, so after we were done with our sand play, the girls took off climbing. Up they went with no hesitation. Then I got the call from Talli, “Grandma, Kyah is afraid to come down. You will have to come up and get her.”
Well! That was not going to happen. I’m quite agile, but I’m not silly enough to risk falling with these old bones, so I called out to her, “Face your fears and solve your problems.”
They both glared at me like I had lost my mind, but after a moment the idea sank in and they climbed down with no problem.
Suffice it to say, “face your fears and solve your problems” became our mantra for the remainder of the holiday as we faced new foods, new surroundings, and learned the joy of winning over fear.
I know there have been times in my life when fear has paralyzed me. You are probably the same. You put off making that call to the bank because you are afraid to hear the answer. You put off making the appointment with your child’s teacher because you don’t want to hear the worst. You put off enrolling for further training because you fear failure or the pressure and energy it will demand.
For whatever reason, we allow fear to stop us dead in our tracks. We hesitate. We fret. We do everything but face it! The strange thing about fear is that it will not go away until it is faced down! Once you get brave enough to make that call, you find out it wasn’t so bad. You make that appointment with the teacher, and find out she wanted to give your kid praise or that your child needs help and help is available. You go ahead and enroll for the training, and find that because you are an adult student you excel better than those around you and you can carve out the time to study. Or you find out it really wasn’t for you, but you’re glad you tried.
There are no promises in facing fear, but there is a resolution one way or the other. Like tasting new foods, some you love and others you can say, “I tried it. I know I don’t like it.” But the fear is gone.
Face your fears and solve your problems is a great mantra. It challenges us to move forward. It holds hope for the future. It gives us a tool to defeat the fear that strikes us down and leaves us cowering in our room. With every victory, we get braver!
Is fear staring you in the face? Does it seem like a wall you can’t hurdle over? Well, step up! Take the risk! Climb down from your hiding place, face your fears and solve your problems!
This past Christmas we got to spend a few days with our son and his family who had just arrived in Spain as missionaries. My two granddaughters and I had great fun making sandmen (as opposed to snowmen) on the beach. It wasn’t beautifully warm, but that didn’t stop us digging in the sand and enjoying time together.
There was a metal half-sphere climbing frame on the beach, so after we were done with our sand play, the girls took off climbing. Up they went with no hesitation. Then I got the call from Talli, “Grandma, Kyah is afraid to come down. You will have to come up and get her.”
Well! That was not going to happen. I’m quite agile, but I’m not silly enough to risk falling with these old bones, so I called out to her, “Face your fears and solve your problems.”
They both glared at me like I had lost my mind, but after a moment the idea sank in and they climbed down with no problem.
Suffice it to say, “face your fears and solve your problems” became our mantra for the remainder of the holiday as we faced new foods, new surroundings, and learned the joy of winning over fear.
I know there have been times in my life when fear has paralyzed me. You are probably the same. You put off making that call to the bank because you are afraid to hear the answer. You put off making the appointment with your child’s teacher because you don’t want to hear the worst. You put off enrolling for further training because you fear failure or the pressure and energy it will demand.
For whatever reason, we allow fear to stop us dead in our tracks. We hesitate. We fret. We do everything but face it! The strange thing about fear is that it will not go away until it is faced down! Once you get brave enough to make that call, you find out it wasn’t so bad. You make that appointment with the teacher, and find out she wanted to give your kid praise or that your child needs help and help is available. You go ahead and enroll for the training, and find that because you are an adult student you excel better than those around you and you can carve out the time to study. Or you find out it really wasn’t for you, but you’re glad you tried.
There are no promises in facing fear, but there is a resolution one way or the other. Like tasting new foods, some you love and others you can say, “I tried it. I know I don’t like it.” But the fear is gone.
Face your fears and solve your problems is a great mantra. It challenges us to move forward. It holds hope for the future. It gives us a tool to defeat the fear that strikes us down and leaves us cowering in our room. With every victory, we get braver!
Is fear staring you in the face? Does it seem like a wall you can’t hurdle over? Well, step up! Take the risk! Climb down from your hiding place, face your fears and solve your problems!
Don’t face the enemy without your weapon! Here are some scriptures.
Psalm 118:6 - The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Hebrews 13:6 - So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Psalm 56:3 - What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Isaiah 26:3 - Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
And one of my favorites – Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
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