Taming those Fear-Monsters

By: Linda Grabeman

We all search for answers. If we have a problem, we want to know how to fix it. We want a pill, a class, a self-help book, something. What if the problem is Fear? Worry? Stress? We all deal with those monsters.

Well, I have good news, some weapons to tame these gargantuan beasts and keep them from terrorizing you. You see, we make three wrong moves which welcome them into our once peaceful space.

1. We listen to the wrong voices.

There are three voices in this world:

the devil,

God, and

the world.

The devil says you are not smart enough, pretty enough, or good enough. He fills you with shame, guilt, and worry. Fear, condemnation, and regret are his calling cards.

God speaks love, forgiveness, fullness, and joy. He knows every sin you will ever commit before you even do it and His Son gladly died for those sins.

Nothing surprises Him. Nothing. He wants you to rest in that relentless love.

The world’s voice is a little harder to recognize because we hear it non-stop. But if you feel like a problem is bigger than anything you can handle, then you’re listening to the wrong voice. If you feel alone and helpless and can only focus on your problem, your lack, or your need, then you’ve bought into the world’s view.

The world replaces our all-caps-GOD with a small-letter-god.

 

2. We make the wrong conclusions.

We are not Sherlock Holmes. We reason that this event happened so this scenario must be true. Sometimes we get it all wrong.

We think facts are the same as truth. They are not.  I learned this lesson when I walked through cancer and my diagnosis and prognosis changed with every test. What the doctors were sure of three days ago now was no longer the case. After a few rounds of that rollercoaster, I decided not to play that game anymore. I planted my feet and my heart on truth that lasted forever. I learned a valuable lesson: God’s truth never changes, and it can even alter earthly facts. That gave me peace regardless of my situation.

3. We ask the wrong question.

How will this turn out? How am I going to do this? We bombard God with these questions regularly. But rather than tell us every step of our journey, He tells us who will be our companion. Not How, Who. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5

Knowing our Companion gives us more peace than knowing how it will all work out.

So, the next time you sense the fear-monsters rattling your nerves, pacing before they lunge, and then closing in for kill on any peace in your life, use these weapons to silence them and send them packing:

Listen to the right voice, make the right conclusions, and ask the right question.

“My sheep hear My voice.” John 10:27