The Prison of Unhealthy Fear
In the past week, I have struggled with unhealthy fear- the kind that keeps you absent-minded. The kind that gives you sleepless nights. The kind that sees tears roll down your cheeks. That fear that makes you want to go into hiding. That voice of fear that drowns every ounce of hope in you. We have all been there.
Very often, unhealthy fear stems from not knowing what’s ahead of us. We create the perfect picture in our minds but when things begin to go contrary to what we envisaged, we get jittery and begin to imagine worse things that could happen.
Unhealthy fear prevents us from enjoying the moments as they come. It prevents us from taking bold steps that will bring about breakthroughs. It erodes trust in relationships. Unhealthy fear essentially makes us give up even before the race starts.
Ultimately, it keeps us in a prison where we find ourselves in shackles of despair and craziness. Unhealthy fear can make us lose out on a great business opportunity or miss out on pursuing friendships.
What is the fear that is holding you back? Do you feel you will never reach your destination with that obstacle called fear staring at you? Who is fuelling that fear? Reflecting on these questions take us closer to overcoming that cloud of fear. A sober self-reflection is effective in understanding the current issue and provides a blueprint for dealing with it. Know the source and the why of the situation in order to make sense of it. Coming to this point prevents us from making irrational choices or decisions. It ultimately drives us from a moment of panic attack to a sober place where we are able to see clearly and make informed choices.
Unhealthy fear has seen many dreams buried, many songs unsung and many stellar performances undone! What are you doing about that fear that is crippling you? Would you still listen to the naysayers whose opinions are nothing but draining or you are you willing to step and break free from the shackles of unhealthy fear?
Walk into the new week with courage and strength!
Mercy, this has been so encouraging to read. My unhealthy fear has led to an anxiety that is sometimes crippling. I always felt like my anxiety came from nowhere, out of the blue... But actually if I think of the root of that anxiety it's fear; of my inadequate abilities, my future, my lack of accomplishments at age 25 (compared to my peers), my neglected relationships, my continues struggle with sin (I could literally go on and on about all my fears).
ReplyDeleteI imagine it's a great step acknowledging that I have unhealthy fears and what happens when I let those fears consume me. The reality is I fuel my fears instead of letting the Almighty God ignite my hope through the Holy Spirit. That's really all the strength I need isn't it?
I share those frustrations, Ulibo. My fear was fuelled mainly by words from the outside. Even though I knew the truth, I allowed the opinions of others sweep away every positive I'd known. When those moments creep in, isn't it freeing to know that we can run to the Father who hears and knows our pain? That He gives peace, which the world cannot give. May we never run from Him but always to Him!
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