Day #12

Day #12: The great stories go to those who do not give into fear.

While trying to figure out how to tell a better story with your life, there are still going to be obstacles that get in the way. One of the largest, yet most unspoken and secretive obstacles in our lives is that of fear.

Everyone has fear. Some people classify fear into categories … big fears. small fears. silly, ridiculous fears. Some label fear with negative connotations… fear means weakness. insecurity. incompentence. I like to think that fear is fear, and that no matter what it consists of, it is something everyone deals with and is nothing to be ashamed of.

I think that the key of fear is maybe not trying so hard to get rid of it, but just not giving into it. As Day #7 noted, “Progress, no matter how slow, is all that matters.” Our lives will be filled with fear, but if we take steps toward facing it, and not let it cripple us, then we don’t give in and instead begin telling a better story.

Once I knew I wanted to tell a better story, I quickly realized that I had a lot of fear to face in order to do so. Again, sometimes society views fear as weakness and realizing this, I knew my first step towards facing fear was admitting I had fear. And by admitting I had fear, I mean literally telling people.

So….
I fear rejection.
I fear failure.
I fear volleyball. (You think it’s silly? I do too. But it’s a literal fear I have from the 5th grade… ties in with the failure one. A blog post about this will come at a later time.)
I fear being alone.
I fear the things my children will have to face someday, and if I’ll be a good parent.

What are some of your fears in life?

We are human. Fear will happen, but we can’t let it overtake our lives. Even if it’s just telling someone about your fears, that is a start… and you can tell your friends and family, but I encourage you to tell the Lord about them too. He obviously knows them all anyhow, but He delights when we come to Him and more so, turn these fears over to Him.

“For God gave us not a spirit of fear, but of power and love and discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

HE is greater than fear, and will help us move towards freedom.