Fear

 

Fear

 

“Let me affirm my belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”  Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke those words at his first inaugural address in 1933. Brave words in the middle of the Great Depression. They echoed in the American spirit for the many difficult years to follow: World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, September 11th. Those who are ignorant of history can find themselves paralyzed by fear.

 

The truth is that the world is a dangerous place to live. Couple that with the reality that no one gets off the planet alive is fertile soil for fear to germinate into a phobia of life itself. Curious enough, with the onslaught of COVID 19 in the midst of an election year, fear appears to be gaining the upper hand in our country. Fear of what may happen undermines our ability to embrace life to the fullest.

 

Although I am not a fan of social media, I ran across a recent post from someone

who found the following on a sign in a Mennonite store. I am reminded that perspective helps:

 

2000 Y2K is going to destroy everything.

2001 Anthrax is going to kill us.

2002 West Nile virus, 2003 SARS, 2005 Bird Flu, 2006 E.coli are going to kill us. 2008 financial collapse will do us in

2009 Swine Flu will kill us.

2012 the Mayan Calendar predicts end of the world.

2013 North Korea will cause WW III.

2014 Ebola Virus will kill us.

2015 ISIS will kill us.

2016 Zika Virus will kill us.

2020 the Corona Virus will do us in.

The truth is FEAR is going to kill you. Turn off the TV and PRAY and TRUST IN GOD…and wash your hands.”

 

The Bible says of the righteous person: “He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.”

Anxiety

Anxiety

I must have been born anxious. Why do I think that? Well, I was born during the Second World War. Shortly after my birth, my father graduated from medical school, enlisted in the Army and was sent to the South Pacific. During this time my mother and grandparents raised me. If that wasn’t enough I was the first born and you know what that means.

Like most of us I don’t remember a lot about my early childhood but from what people told me I was precocious in nature and in desperate need of discipline. In grade school I was the class clown. That may sound innocent enough but I often strayed across the line and eventually got kicked out of one grade school; not exactly a sterling example of a disciplined life.

It wasn’t until I had a goal for my life that I started to worry. In seminary the pressure was on to make the grade. Studying never came easy for me. I was too busy making friends and goofing off. Once those hands were laid on me and I was ordained a priest, the anxiety really kicked in. Serving the Lord by trying to measure up is enough to make anyone anxious.

The dictionary defines anxiety as “an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear; a nervousness about what might happen.” That was me! I never thought of myself as fearful but my sense of having to measure up to other people’s expectations was a recipe for disaster.  

Life began to take a different path when I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. I know that sounds religious but the truth is that He is the one who is teaching me that I don’t have to measure up and He loves me just as I am.

The Bible says: “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers. Letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

Amen.

Deep Dark Forest

Deep Dark Forest

As a child I remember that nothing good would be found in the deep, dark forest. That was the place where ogres, witches and goblins lived. To venture into the deep dark forest was putting your life in the hands of those who dwelt there. More than one fairy tale told the sad story of a child who did listen to their parents, ventured into the forest and were never seen again.

Near our home is a small forest with lots of wildlife and a mountain stream running through it. In the summer, the foliage is thick with aspen, scrub pine and assorted brush. A wandering path with lots of bends and dead ends, meets the requirements of a mysterious place. It is a perfect deep dark forest to take our grandkids.

When Abby and Ella were just toddlers, Judy and I would put them in a wagon and head for the forest. At first they were hesitant about going into the woods. Judy would assure them that it was ok while I told them to watch out for the ogres and goblins. The look on their faces was evidence enough.

Now that they are older and able to walk to the forest, they still want Nana and Papa to go with them. As we approach the edge of the woods, the girls instinctively grab our hand. They are excited to take the stroll but not with out a helping hand. It makes Nana and Papa feel needed and important in their lives. Recently, Judy and I took Ella and her two-year-old brother Ben to the forest. Ben is too young to be scared but Ella reached out for Nana’s hand.

I am reminded that everyone needs a safe hand to hold on to as we venture down life’s path. As grownups, we may no longer believe in the fairytale world, but there are enough dark places and unfamiliar trails where the security of a steady hand calms all fears.

The Bible says “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are beside me. Your rod and staff protect and comfort me.”