The Fear Factor

You know those days when you get a decent amount done, and you feel great afterward? As if you've just made serious progress in some quest you're on. Maybe that feeling is saved for us "list nerds" that find it bliss to check off the final item on that overbearing Things I Can't Afford to Pay Someone Else To Do list. I've had a comforter that's needed to visit a dry cleaner for about four months. After 'clearing' the garage, I made a pile of items to get rid of. That was about two months ago. How hard is it to load the boxes in my car and drive over to Salvation Army?

If it's such a grand emotion, why is it so difficult to get started? You know in the end you'll feel like King Kong, and yet procrastination ensues. WHY? The only answer I can grasp at is fear. Fear of something. Please don't ask me WHAT. I haven't gotten that far. Plus, I'm certain it's different for all of us.

Fear is a powerful human emotion and we usual allow it to incapacitate us negatively, and cause us to act unwittingly. Fear of ugliness can cause us to spend outrageous amounts of Benjamins on make-up, clothing, hair cuts, and even surgery. Fear of failure can let that pretty girl walk out the door before we talk to her. Fear of loss can keep us from taking a risk and keep us from truly living. Advertisers and Marketers have figured this out a long time ago and have been using our fears against us for years. Next time you're watching the boob tube, just ask yourself what fear is being presented in the next commercial you see. "Have it your way!" -BK

I think at times we find ourselves so comfortable with this type of living, that to step away from it sounds like more work than we think it's worth. Ironic isn't it? The fear of not walking in fear, keeps us trapped in our personal pit of despair. Life being sucked out of us, one lift of the lever at a time.

Perhaps these are just my own personal fears and no one else has any clue what I'm talking about, but I doubt it. Humanity is a whole. We all laugh, we all cry, we all bleed, and we all fear. I had only wanted to write a useless blog about "what I ought to get done today but won't." Turned out quite differently I think.

I'm not sure it's possible to live a life completely devoid of fear, but we can turn the tables and use fear to our advantage. A fear of being poor has driven many a men to become thieves, but it has also created hard working men as well. The choice is ours.

So, if you're going to let fear drive you today, let the fear of ugliness persuade you to put on a smile and create smiles on those around you. Let the fear of failure drive you to success for the Kingdom. And let the fear of loss urge you to linger a little longer with friends and to not hesitate to say 'I love you.'

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I think I will have to do a little study on 1 Jn 4:18. Perhaps a fearless life is possible....