Someone once told me that they thought I was fearless. This is always stuck out to me because I would never have considered myself to be fearless. What this person meant was that I wasn’t afraid of getting hurt.
Fear is something that can paralyze even the bravest of souls. This last summer, I was helping at a summer camp. During the camp, a few of the kids were shaving each other’s heads. One of the seniors took it a little too far and shaved some inappropriate things into a freshman’s head. The freshman, who looked up to this older guy, was very hurt and rightfully upset. He sat on his bed until some of us came in to get him. Even then, it took us about an hour to get him to move. He wanted to get up but he felt he just couldn’t. When I asked him why he wouldn’t move, he couldn’t give me an answer. He knew he wanted to, but he could not move. He physically could not get himself to move. He was almost paralyzed. He was afraid of what everyone was going to say or think about him.
I think about this type of fear in relation to sin in my life. A long time ago, I would not go to confession because I was afraid. Though I knew I needed to and wanted to go to confession, this fear paralyzed me. I was afraid of what the priest might say to me. I also think about the time I really liked a girl. I wanted to date her, but I couldn’t even ask her out because I was afraid. I was afraid of her rejection. Also, for years I have been talking, praying, and thinking about priesthood. I really want to be a priest but I could never take the discernment process very far because I was afraid.
A friend of mine once told me “fear is just false evidence appearing real.” This is ture for the fears that keep us from acting. Fear needs to be handle in the right way. Some of the things that I have been afraid of were stupid. There is nothing to fear in going to confession. If that girl would have said no, it would not have been a big deal. If I continued to be afraid of applying to seminary I never would’ve gotten accepted.
if you listen to your fears, you will die never knowing what a great person you might have been. ~ Robert H. Schuller
I liked this quote because it is so true. Often, I will not try something because I am afraid. I will never know what could have been.
"Fear is useless; what is needed is trust." Jesus, Luke 8:50,
Fear is useless! Fear is tool the devil uses to keep us from living a life with Christ. He uses it to keep us from living to fullness. Fear is like sin, it enslaves us. Fear, much like sin, means knowing what we want but not being able to act. Sin is also something that can own us if we let it. I think that this Gospel passage goes well with this topic.
“Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.” John 8
If we fully trust in Jesus, what is there to be afraid of? If we trust in Jesus and ask Him to forgive our sins, we will know the truth and we will be set free! Stop being afraid of trying new things or meeting new people. You are going to miss out on what could be! Don’t let sin or fear run your life! However, it might be necessary to mention that some fear is good. For example, the fear of snakes can be a good fear. Snakes could kill you and then you’ll be dead. Fear and sin doesn’t really matter when you are dead. It is kind of too late after that. Some fear is good, it is how you deal with that fear that matters. Never let your fear of something keep you from doing something that could help you become the best version of yourself.
Just my Thoughts
Go With God
Duncan
