So, this past evening, I get a call from my sister-in -law asking if I would come check out a noise in the crawl space of her house. My wife just got home with the older kids, so I tell her I am going exploring at her old house. I suspected some sort of animal, so I brought a trap, a baseball bat, and leather gloves, just in case. When I get there, the crawl space window is pushed open, and the lights that have worked in the past do not. So, flashlight it is! I peek through the opening and don’t see much of anything. I climb down into the window well and poke my head in to see better, and eventually I see two beady eyes looking back at me at the other end of the house. Once I could identify at least one of the animals there was in fact a possum, any fears I may have had subsided significantly from my worst case scenario of a rabid badger. Catching him was another challenge, but it eventually ended with me making him mad trying to grab its tail, and then watching him run to the other side of the house, up and out the window opening. In hindsight, there were worse fears I faced this day. How do you deal with the fears you face in life?
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
When I was a young child, I remember a few instances of being scared of the dark, or of certain situations where I found myself. It wasn’t so much the dark I was afraid of, but what ‘might be’ in the dark that I couldn’t see. In one’s mind, it could be anything you would fear could take your life, or hurt you. In reality, it is usually nothing. At times, these fears can be fueled by what other things we allow into our minds as well. Back in elementary and middle school, I was into reading about paranormal things like ghosts, UFOs, Cryptozoology and the like and I vaguely recall considering encounters with these types of things as things I may be afraid of. It wasn’t always even based in what was likely, but the 0.001 percent chance of what might happen. What truths have displaced the myths from your mind?
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:18-19
As I have grown and matured as a Christian, I have come to a point where I don’t fear death, or anything that may bring it about. I put my trust in my Creator of when my time will come to an end and look forward to meeting Him. This doesn’t mean I want to die now, but I don’t fear it either. The same can be said of any other fears, of disease, of loss of things, or a job, or reputation, or loved ones, or anything else. Being close to God, and experiencing a few close calls, has also given me better judgement, and I try not to put myself into as many situations where I could get hurt or die. When the truth of God’s Kingdom is evident in our lives, the little things that used to make me pause or stumble now may even motivate me. I like the challenge of facing some of the fears that once haunted me. With God as my foundation, I can withstand any obstacle, weather any storm, overcome any challenge, even death, and so can you!
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Yours in Christ,
Clark
