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Say Goodbye to Fear next Year

I think all of us have a problem with wanting to control things. (Or is it really just me?) Do you know the root of that desire/need/impulse? Fear

Fear.

Let’s face it, fear directs too many of our decisions.

What if there was a way to tame the fear lion? Better yet, what if you could keep him in a cage far away from you?

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The truth is we will face situations and problems that make us uncertain. We don’t have to let those moments morph into anxiety or fear.

And we need to let go of the illusion of control. Because it just isn’t real.

From one of my spiritual mentor’s recent blogs:

When I went looking for back up for this strategy in Scripture I was disappointed. I discovered, much to my dismay, that the only type of control we are allotted is my least favorite kind: self-control. The universe is not on our list. Nor our relatives. Not the neighbors or the door-slamming teenager or the decorating committee. None of them.

So when anxiety stalks us, we can pause and ponder, “What am I afraid of right now?” Once we name it we can ask, “What can I actually control in this situation?”

I adore Holley Gerth. If you want to read the rest of her post, click here.

Let’s face it, you can’t control 98 percent of what comes your way in life. You know what you can control? Your reaction or response to any negative or difficult situation.

No, you can’t stop yourself from feeling the pounding pulse, dry mouth or icy block in the stomach. Those physical responses are messengers. They are warning you that something dangerous is ahead.

The biggest danger of all is letting the fear put you on the sideline.

Let’s make a pact to corral the lion of fear in the new year.

We start by making one simple choice to stand our ground today. I’ve got someone bigger than the lion standing beside me. What about you?

2 thoughts on “Say Goodbye to Fear next Year”

  1. Let’s hear it for a fear-free 2017!
    Coincidentally, I’m in the middle of preparing a sermon about fear (and faith, and trust) – based on Luke 8:40-56, where Jesus tells an anxious father to not be afraid, but just trust him, and it’ll all be ok.

    1. Coincidentally? Yeah, I don’t believe that 🙂
      I’m intrigued by 1 John 4’s connection between love and fear. “Perfect love casts out fear.” Implying that if we are anxious, fearful and worried, our love is imperfect. Hmmm. I often think my faith needs bolstering (more faith, less fear), but rarely do I connect a lack of love to fear or anxiety. And yet scripture does.
      Hope your sermon is well-received.

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