Scary Stories Around the Campfire vs. Life Fears

I met with a friend over coffee the other day and she had a few interesting questions to ponder.

1.  What is your biggest fear about your life?

2.  What is your biggest fear about yourself?

Okay, okay, so we have some pretty intense conversations, what can I say?  You are probably sitting  there thinking, “Wow Pam, couldn’t you think of anything better to write  about?  Stay with me…

My mind takes me back to the memory of when I was a kid and  how fun it was to sit around the campfire and tell scary stories.  Maybe you have a similar memory.

I have a friend who used to love going to  graveyards at night because it was so scary. It made him jumpy for days. I must admit, I loved to sneak up behind him and yell.  Made him scream like a woman.

Most of us have watched scary movies or have gone to haunted  houses at some point in our lives.  Isn’t  it funny how that type of fear somehow evokes excitement, but when we are faced  with “lifes’ fears”… Well, they are just way too scary to even think about!  Weird how that works.

Okay, here’s the test.
When you ask yourself the two questions above do you tell yourself, “I  don’t have any fears about myself or my life.”  If that is absolutely true, I acknowledge you for doing the work to get to this place in your life.  However, if you are saying this so you don’t have to answer the questions, then I challenge you to a duel.

That’s right, pick your weapon of choice and walk ten paces back.  Now turn around, place your weapon on the table and face yourself.  Yes, the other person in the duel is you as well.

Ask yourself, what makes these two questions so difficult to answer?   Now that you have that answer ask yourself, am I willing to answer these questions?  If your answer is yes, then go for it oh brave one.  Be kind with yourself as you answer, take your time and show yourself some compassion.

If your answer is no, I’m not willing, then it’s most likely not the right time for you, it’s all perfect.   Whether you are willing or not, good job for being brave enough to consider this topic.

I know I could stop here and no one would ever know the difference, except me and my wimpy-ness.  So, I’m accepting the challenge of the duel as well and if I’m going for it, I might as well go full out.  My hope is that sharing my answers with you will give you a boost of courage to ask God to help you as you conquer your own fears.  Gulp, here goes…

My biggest fear about my life is – if I lost my husband.

My biggest fear about myself goes hand in hand with the biggest fear for my life – that I will be alone.

I believe the old saying that says, “what you fear you will create in your life.”  So, I’m asking God to continue to work with me and quiet or better yet, extinguish this fear from my life.

The good news is now each time this fear comes up for me, I can hear the quiet voice of God giving me a bit of peace and a little more freedom from it.  I have a deeper sense of knowing that somehow through this fear, God is teaching me to have more trust, more faith in Him.

Here is what I’m learning about this strange and scary topic I’ll label:  ”Life Fears.”

1.  Fear is like a giant thumb pushing down on me, keeping me from fully living in who and what God wants. I can’t fully experience what He has to offer my life if I’m being held back by my fears.  I just read this quote in the book Waking the Dead by John Eldredge  “The glory of God is man fully alive”  –  Saint Irenaeus   Wow, let that one sink in for a while.

2.  Every single time I’ve faced my fear, the outcome really was not near as scary as the thought of the fear itself.

3.  Each time I lean into the fear instead of going around it or denying it, God breaks through another chain and I gain more freedom and light into my life.

4.  I always have a choice; I can choose to believe and live in fear, or choose to believe what the Spirit says.  When I choose the latter, my trust and faith in God grows by leaps and bounds and my relationship with Him becomes more intimate.

Are you feeling especially brave? Ready to break the next link on the chain towards freedom?  I invite you to share your fears right here, right now and bring them into the light.

I am honored to walk alongside you in your journey.

Until next time…

Peace,

Pam

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