When Fear Crowds Your Mind

 

 

There is a monster lurking in the dark recesses of your mind. He stays pretty quiet until you begin to venture into new territory. All is well as long as you don't try to step out in faith and accomplish the seemingly impossible. As long as you stay in your "comfort zone" he remains as quiet as a church mouse.

 

But, try something new, step up to work in a new ministry at church, begin to write a book, start a new enterprise, apply for a new job, or tell yourself that things are finally going to be different and the monster awakens. As he awakes, you feel your heart begin to race, small beads of sweat begin to form on your forehead, and anxious feelings arise within you. As he awakens so does his two companions, doubt and worry. A million negative "what if's" begin to flood your mind.

 

• What if I can't do it?
• What if people make fun of me?
• What if I fail?
• What if I succeed?
• What if I can't finish what I start?
• What if no one reads the book?
• What if no one joins me in my new venture?
• What if...what if...what if?

A sense of paralysis begins to set in and we are faced with a choice.  Do we "Forget Everything  and Run?" or do we "Face Everything and Rise?" For many people facing the monster is hard. The fear of the unknown overwhelms them and they shrink back into a life of mediocrity - they crawl back under their "comfort zone" covers and pull the blankets over their head hoping the monster will go away and he does. When you are not willing to face him, he will quietly retreat back into his corner until you awaken him again.

 

But, the monster is not real! He is like the proverbial "bogie man" under your bed that keeps you awake at night until you finally get up the nerve to lean over the bed and look under it to discover that there is nothing there. You finally realize that it is a figment of your imagination and from that point forward you go to bed and sleep like a baby.

 

In order to conquer your self-imposed fears, you must choose to "Face Everything and Rise." Your greatest fears will go away when you face them. Your fears will subside when you begin to write that book, work in that ministry, start that business, or apply for that new job. The scriptures clearly tell us to not fear.

 

"Fear not" is the most repeated command in the scriptures. There are 366 "fear not's" in the Bible, one for each day of the year, including leap year. The Psalmist gives us the formula for overcoming our fears. Listen to what he says,

 

"When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
In God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?"

(Psalm 56:3-4)

 

Go ahead, take a peek under the bed, you can do it - lean over and see, there is no "bogie man" it is just a figment of your imagination.

 



The Art of Persistence

The Art of Persistence  

Grant Cardone in his book, The 10X Rule makes a powerful statement in Chapter 22, page 164. He says, "The ability to persist on a given path regardless of setbacks, unexpected events, bad news, and resistance - to continue steadfastly or firmly in some state, purpose, or course of action in spite of conditions - is a trait common to those who make it . . . we all have to learn how to persist through all types of situations. It is as though this planet has some kind of force or natural tendency - almost like gravity - that challenges people's ability to persist. It's almost like the universe is just trying to find out what you are made of as it continues to confront you."

And all God's Children said, AMEN! Whew, I could not have said it better myself. On our path to becoming all that God intends us to be and on this path of accomplishing all that He wants us to accomplish, we will inevitably hit a few brick walls - maybe more than just a few.  I know that I have come up against numerous seemingly insurmountable obstacles in my lifetime.  Now when faced with them I have choices. I can quit and turn back from the race God has chosen for me to run; I can stop dead in my tracks and neither move forward or backward, or I can persist through the obstacle and see what I am made of.

I choose the latter. Now, I wish I could say that I have always made the choice to move forward, but that has not always been the case, but I have learned through the years to just hang in there. Like the mouse above, I have had to put on a few helmets to move forward to reach my goal. I recently heard a quote (sorry I don't remember who from) but it said, "The prize is not to finally get what you are after, but the prize is what you become in the pursuit of it." God uses every type of circumstance and challenge to make us into his image.

I am so grateful that Jesus, when faced with the cross did not quit but he went all the way. Was it hard, you bet? He cried in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane that His Father would take this task away from him, but he did not want his will to be accomplished, but the Father's.

How about you? Will you persist? Will you make it to your destiny? Will you, despite all the trials, tribulations and challenges finish your race. The Apostle Paul came to the end of his life and said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7, NIV). I will finish mine, I have dedicated myself to that task.