Articles
A Different Kind of Fear
If we were to have a discussion about fear, of any kind, fear is something we feel. Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by our belief that something is dangerous or can cause us harm or pain, or threaten us in some way. We may experience fear in other ways too, like fear of failure. Stepping out of an airplane might be easier for some people than stepping up in front of a room full of people.
We react to or handle fear in various ways, from ignoring it, to waiting until the danger passes, to overcoming it. And, sometimes, it's the fear of what the lion can do to us and not the lion itself that make us fearful. I'm not scared of a lion in a cage, unless I'm in there with it.
Of the many kinds of fear, there is one I'd like to consider today. We may fear that someone will learn something we have kept secret, and that those things we thought were hidden will be exposed. We can actually get ahead of that by doing what we read about in James 5:16, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed". This is not a one way street, as we are to do this to each other. I tell you my sins and faults, and I listen to yours, maybe not all in the same setting.
These things can help us, by causing us to muster the courage to talk about our shortcomings. God helps with the courage. We are told we can cast our care upon Him (1 Peter 5:7). He can help us to act in spite of our fear.
Sometimes the biggest black cloud over us is something we created, and we shoulder on a daily basis when we could eliminate it simply by being courageous. Telling others we are not perfect isn't easy, but the relief from carrying around guilt, blame and sorrow is healthy, both spiritually and physically.
