"When we dive off into Truth, we are not content with fear" -NkstOne
Fear can either prevent us from living or motivate us. Courage isn't without fear and bravery wouldn't exist without fear being present. So fear can be a useful tool if we allow it to be. Most often we allow fear to intimidate us thus we become its prisoner. All fear is .. is a shadow the truth of the matter every shadow has to illuminate the reality there is a light coming from somewhere. That light is truth .. if we are seeing a shadow (Fear) then recognize that the Truth has illuminated the fear. So face the truth embrace it and walk on. For the truth sets us free. It isn't easy especially when the truth shines a light and the shadow we see is ourselves.
As a child I wanted to swim but I was afraid that I would drown finally my aunt helped me to realize that I could swim and not drown. It took years before I was brave enough to jump off of the diving board. Even though I could swim I was still scared of the "What if" what if I can't swim back up to the surface? This plagued me each time I went swimming but one day I faced that fear and dove off the diving board .. my feet hit the bottom of the pool and I was able to push back up to the surface. My fear was eliminated and every since then I love to dive. When we don't face the fear/s we compromise ourselves and the ability that God has given us to overcome. We each have been specially prepared to face what it is we have to face in this life.
We as humans fear often the unknown. We want to be able to control every circumstance so that we can feel safe. God tells us in His word multiple times "Fear Not For I am with you" God did not say He would take the fear away He said "Fear not" meaning He acknowledges our fear He tells us plainly "That HE is here with us" .... this means HE gives us a choice. We can look to Him and trust that He is here with us or we can allow our fear to continue to consume us. Fear is going to be whereever there is light .. why? because fear is that shadow the light cast from whatever object or task that is in its path. Often the shadow comes from us. Understand though there is no fear in perfect Love therefore fear does not come from the Light itself but from the object or task that is in its path. the Light exposes these shadows for what they are.
So to fear death is to fear life. We can make peace with what is ahead by realizing that no matter what we face God is already there like He is here with us now. Remember there is no fear in perfect love. The fear we may experience is the realization of our own human frailty but in God we don't have to fear for He is neither weak nor frail and more than able to carry us through. Just as Christ faced the cross and overcame death so we will in Him.
Doubt is what gives fear a foothold in our lives. I doubted my ability to swim and because of that I was afraid to dive off of the diving board. God wants us to trust Him fully ... so when He said "Fear Not" He is saying don't doubt me Trust me. As long as we try to live this life on our own strength and our own understanding we will eventually meet a point where we ourselves can't go forward. No matter if we choose to trust God or not life goes on and the reality is at one given point our life here will end. Just as I dove off of the diving board and reached the bottom of the pool I was able to push back up to the surface such is life we have to be willing to take that first step trusting that God is going to be there all the way in order to really live.
"Fear is what plagues us when we stagnate in our comfort zones"-NkstOne
I don't know of any human being that wants to be uncomfortable, I don't know any person who doesn't have a comfort zone. One of the most common comfort zones is "This is how I was raised" ... we cling to what we are taught in childhood and anything outside of that is an uncomfort. We limit our lives to live with in such a comfort zone.
Fear tells us that if we go against "the grain" or question things that we will be rejected not accepted and shunned. Though this maybe true in certain situations but honestly when we live in a lie and we know its a lie then we deny ourselves to be who we are. We have to be willing to break away from such fears .. this doesn't mean that we will be totally alone or forsaken ... those who choose to live in fear whether in silence or by hiding whatever don't and wont come to the light for the fear of being exposed. Darkness doesn't defeat Light .. even a small match can light a dark room.
Once we can identify the root of fear then we can do something about it, but we have to be willing to be who we are no matter what anyone says or does.
Don't get me wrong I love my family very much but I also know to be who I am I can't use them as a crutch. In other words if they are wrong then that doesn't give me the right to repeat that wrong.
Fear attaches itself where ever it can. But we have to be willing to step up to the plate and face it .. not make excuses for it or deny it ... in my life I have been so wrapped up in fear that I could barely breathe but what I realize is I have faced some of these fears and they didn't destroy me instead I am able and better equipped to deal with things in my life. Truth gives us that freedom!
