Contemplations
I’m sitting here contemplating the many facets of fear. I talked about fear in one of my updates last month and here I am again, thinking on it again.
Fear is a natural reaction, accompanied by adrenaline, a God implanted physical response to danger. Every time an angel appears it seems they start their message with “Fear Not.” People reacted with fear as a natural response to these awesome messengers from God.
Next, there is fear that becomes panic. This is the kind of fear where you let your initial chemical response to fear take over. Fueled by your worries this fear leads to irrational action and the inability to make wise decisions.
Then there is another type of fear: A conscious choice to give a situation the respect and consideration that it deserves. Yesterday, in the morning sermon, we studied the verse: “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28) This is a description of a “thinking” fear. It is a choice not to panic but to evaluate your fear and to determine a response.
So, you may be wondering why I am rambling on about fear. Just last week I talked with a teammate about how exhausting this life is for me and how I get frustrated at always feeling tired. She reminded me that this life that we live is one in which almost all of our control has been removed (which can be mentally and physically draining). I have no real control over my finances, God either provides or he doesn’t but I can’t go pick up an odd job to "help Him" make ends meet. And I can’t communicate clearly so that often leads to misunderstandings and removes the aspect of control from relationships. And things are always changing. I have to be willing to let God lead and change my plans, relinquishing schedules and my ideas of what I intend to do with my time. This morning I faced another situation that was out of my control and I faced moments of all three of these types of fear.
Gus woke me up early begging to be fed, as always. I walked into the hallway and saw that my windows were standing wide open. It wasn’t that someone broke in during the night because my things were all still here. We had a windstorm just after midnight. I can’t imagine how the wind opened two, double paned windows but it must have. The panic started when I couldn’t find Finn and realized he could have been gone all night. He’s an inside cat who simply doesn’t have any street smarts because he hasn’t had the outside life experience. I could only think of my cat Timothy who got out and was hit by a car. I started to let my initial, chemical response of fear take control.
I quickly bundled up and set out in the snow and ice calling my cat. I called a friend and sent a message to another who I didn’t think would be up. I asked for prayer and started praying as I walked. If my neighbors didn’t think I was a crazy American before they certainly do now that they saw me at the crack of dawn, walking around the streets in the snow and ice calling “Finnigan.” The amazing thing was that as I walked and prayed, God gave me a calmer, more realistic response to the danger of the situation while removing the panic. AND he helped me find Finn. Two hours later he was safe at home. I found him hiding under a car not far from here.
Still, that after-adrenaline knot in the pit of my stomach hasn’t completely gone away and here I sit contemplating fear. It really did amaze me how God could take away my panic and calm my heart even though the reason for fearing hadn’t been removed. I am so thankful for the presence of the living God in my life. When He says, “Do not fear, for I am with you,” (Isaiah 41:10) I believe it must mean the type of fear that leads to panic because His presence is able to calm our hearts, even in situations completely out of our control, if we will trust Him with our fears.
So I’m thanking Him for his answer to my prayer, for finding Finn safe and sound. And I am reminded that He is able to be my strength and calm my fears when I face situations in which I have no control, which is fairly often these days.
Next, there is fear that becomes panic. This is the kind of fear where you let your initial chemical response to fear take over. Fueled by your worries this fear leads to irrational action and the inability to make wise decisions.
Then there is another type of fear: A conscious choice to give a situation the respect and consideration that it deserves. Yesterday, in the morning sermon, we studied the verse: “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28) This is a description of a “thinking” fear. It is a choice not to panic but to evaluate your fear and to determine a response.
So, you may be wondering why I am rambling on about fear. Just last week I talked with a teammate about how exhausting this life is for me and how I get frustrated at always feeling tired. She reminded me that this life that we live is one in which almost all of our control has been removed (which can be mentally and physically draining). I have no real control over my finances, God either provides or he doesn’t but I can’t go pick up an odd job to "help Him" make ends meet. And I can’t communicate clearly so that often leads to misunderstandings and removes the aspect of control from relationships. And things are always changing. I have to be willing to let God lead and change my plans, relinquishing schedules and my ideas of what I intend to do with my time. This morning I faced another situation that was out of my control and I faced moments of all three of these types of fear.
Gus woke me up early begging to be fed, as always. I walked into the hallway and saw that my windows were standing wide open. It wasn’t that someone broke in during the night because my things were all still here. We had a windstorm just after midnight. I can’t imagine how the wind opened two, double paned windows but it must have. The panic started when I couldn’t find Finn and realized he could have been gone all night. He’s an inside cat who simply doesn’t have any street smarts because he hasn’t had the outside life experience. I could only think of my cat Timothy who got out and was hit by a car. I started to let my initial, chemical response of fear take control.
I quickly bundled up and set out in the snow and ice calling my cat. I called a friend and sent a message to another who I didn’t think would be up. I asked for prayer and started praying as I walked. If my neighbors didn’t think I was a crazy American before they certainly do now that they saw me at the crack of dawn, walking around the streets in the snow and ice calling “Finnigan.” The amazing thing was that as I walked and prayed, God gave me a calmer, more realistic response to the danger of the situation while removing the panic. AND he helped me find Finn. Two hours later he was safe at home. I found him hiding under a car not far from here.
Still, that after-adrenaline knot in the pit of my stomach hasn’t completely gone away and here I sit contemplating fear. It really did amaze me how God could take away my panic and calm my heart even though the reason for fearing hadn’t been removed. I am so thankful for the presence of the living God in my life. When He says, “Do not fear, for I am with you,” (Isaiah 41:10) I believe it must mean the type of fear that leads to panic because His presence is able to calm our hearts, even in situations completely out of our control, if we will trust Him with our fears.
So I’m thanking Him for his answer to my prayer, for finding Finn safe and sound. And I am reminded that He is able to be my strength and calm my fears when I face situations in which I have no control, which is fairly often these days.
posted by Sojourner at 10:56 AM
1 Comments:
When Timothy and OJ got out, I had the same respsonse. I kept praying "The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away." The peace that passes all understanding which keeps our hearts and mind in Christ Jesus is a mystery, and I am thankful for that mystery. The tragedy of losing a pet is tramatic and you never get over the shock but the peace of God is with us who keep our hearts and minds on Him who is able and willing to help us with our fears.
Mom
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