Fears And Faith

Fear often immobilizes me or throws me into panic.
Faith frees me of my fears and I can move forward calmly and peacefully.

There are many things I am afraid of:
the unknown, uncertainty, rejection, failure, pain, suffering,
people, place and events that have hurt me before.
My tendency is to avoid these and flee from them.
There have been moments I confront my fears
and I am freed from them.
I used to be afraid of the dark as a child.
I would then stay in the dark for as long as I can,
even imagining the worse that could happen in the dark.
There were times I would scamper to the light,
when I could not take it any longer.
But eventually I overcame my fear of the dark.

As I grew older, I discovered faith is a better answer to fear.
Life for the most part is uncertain,
what the future holds, unknown.
The path before me is shown often, one step at a time.
But the journey has been great so far.
If I just focus on my life being a coming home to my God,
I am able to overcome most of my fears.
If I just remember the promise given to me,
I am able to move forward with trust and confidence.

“Do not be afraid.”
No words can be more comforting,
specially during stormy days.
He gets into my boat,
it is not always smooth sailing,
but I am no longer afraid.
for more often than not the winds cease
when He comes into my boat.

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
~ Psalm 147
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat
and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd.
After saying farewell to them,
he went up on the mountain to pray.
When evening came, the boat was out on the sea,
and he was alone on the land.
When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind,
he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea.
He intended to pass them by.
But when they saw him walking on the sea,
they thought it was a ghost and cried out;
for they all saw him and were terrified.
But immediately he spoke to them and said,
“Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased.
And they were utterly astounded,
for they did not understand about the loaves,
but their hearts were hardened.
Mark 6:45-52
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