I've been thinking about how to make better use of this blog. I find it very cathartic to write. But making the time is always an issue for me. Oh, I have the time... I just don't make it. I use my time doing other things. Some of them are important, but many of them are not. I'm the kind of guy that likes to finish what I start in one sitting. I don't like to do things in small pieces. Ultimately, that means that I tend to put myself in rough positions of not starting something big until I have lots of time to do it. (which, by the way, I almost never have.) hmmm.
So this is an attempt at taking a small bite. So let's get on with it. (by the way, I'm writing this as if there is some part of the masses out there that is actually reading it. I realize that is probably not the case... but hey.. I can dream.)
I guess a little laying of foundation is in order.
I want to become Fearless. I want to live my life without worry. Trusting in myself and my God who is not only "out there" but within me to work things out and make decisions and succeed according to the true definition of success .. not some imposed societal crap.
To do that, I want to first consider what "they" told me about fear. (I don't really care who "they" are. It's just a tool of expression.) Webster's definition isn't so bad. It's what we've done with it that screws us up. Webster says fear is " 1. a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined. 2. An emotion caused by the threat of harm or the perception of the threat, prompting a decision to fight the threat or escape from it.
Society and so-called experts (professional psychologists, articles and self-help gurus) have taken this definition and said to us.."Fear is caused by the external stimuli or perceived stimuli not by you. It is identified as being outside of ourselves. i.e. "Guns scare me, heights frighten me, her anger worries me, I’m anxious about the job interview”. They are saying that those things make me feel a certain way.
As long as we hold to those definitions, we are victims of something that is beyond our control. This is in opposition to “we are in charge. I am in control of my own feelings."
The key words here are bolded above. Perception ... real or imagined... IF we believe we have something to be afraid of, then we are afraid. Or if we have been conditioned to believe that it is necessary to be afraid of something, then that something automatically triggers "being afraid". It isn't the item, the issue or the person that scares me. It is my belief about it/them that allows my response to be fear.
Hear this lie, as perpetrated by "them". “All human beings experience anxiety. A mild to moderate amount of anxiety is normal and beneficial. Anxiety can help an individual be motivated to prepare for an upcoming event and can help them keep focused on the task at hand. Individuals who have no anxiety, when faced with important decisions and issues, will lack alertness and focus”
So not only are these people saying that anxiety is a natural part of the human condition… they are actually recommending it. While parts of the statement may be true, the conclusion is dangerous. Anxiety may do what they say. But is it the best tool to use to accomplish motivation, focus and alertness???
Let's take their concept through its natural progression. If what they say about anxiety is true, then, when you are faced with a very important decision, what is the conclusion? … well, I guess that it means we need to be very anxious. If we are struggling with a lack of focus or alertness… we should become even more anxious to compensate and improve it. What does that say about a “life changing event” such as marriage, the death of a loved one, the birth of a child or a serious illness? Well, if their logic is correct, then we should PANIC!!
At first, it sounded good. Tasted kind of familiar. It sounded almost empathetic and compassionate. I could identify with it. It wooed me. But if I follow the logic, it doesn't work. Not only does it not work, it is not consistent with the heart of my Father, God, who tells me... "Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine."
As I have said before, it is also inconsistent with the Spirit and the fruit that comes naturally from being "in" Him. More and more, I find that the fruit of the Spirit is my thermometer. It is my gauge as to whether or not I believe the truth at that moment. And when I find myself in a place where I am not experiencing the fruit of the Spirit, I don't run from the moment. I don't fight the feeling. I experience it and I ask God what the Truth is.
Never run from your unhappiness or fear. Run towards it. In fact… embrace it.
When we run away from the things we find uncomfortable or disconcerting about ourselves, we put distance between an aspect of ourselves and our ability to gain insight and mastery over it.
When we run towards it, we actually encounter it. We see it and give ourselves an opportunity to see it more clearly as we allow God to speak truth to us about it.
If we suppress it, if we judge our feelings as bad and say "I shouldn't feel this way", then I run from it and stuff it inside somewhere behind a locked door. My position is not to say my feelings are bad or even that my feelings are good. My position is, my feelings are an indication of what I believe and therefore, they are an opportunity to explore myself (with the Lord leading the way). I choose if what I am feeling is what I want. If it is, I am free to continue in it. If it is not what I want, then I am free to explore my own beliefs; identify the Truth that dwells within me (the WORD - Christ), and be happy (love, joy, peace, etc) because of that Truth.
Hmmmmmmm. I'm thinking...
Is it possible that the perception of the threat is an illusion?
What's the truth here, God?
