Fear: Kick it out!
Do you know the #1 cause of people making bad decisions? FEAR!
My survey statistics are not scientific but then anyone who has ever taken a statistics class will affirm that a statistic can be made to support most anything you want it to support. My statistic is based on everyday conversations with a cross-section of people that I meet in person and via the social network.
Whether it is the man in Canada who has learned his blood tests show a change and so he calls in his family for the holiday because he might not make it to the next one or the woman in Nebraska buys another dress (to add to her closet-ful) because she needs to be seen as “stylish and trendy” by her peers, it is fear that drives the foolish decisions. We allow our minds to take the ‘what ifs’ of our life and exaggerate their importance.
Life is full of events, news, and situations that are scary. However, the level of my fear is in direct proportion to my assurance of who I am and where I am going.
If I see myself as a pawn in the hand of Mr. Government, Ms. Circumstance, or Lady Gotcha, then I will be very fearful about what will happen in the next five minutes, two weeks, or year. I will think I have no control of the outcome and should live in the moment without consideration of any consequences because I am not responsible for the consequences.
If I do not know where I am going, then I probably do not have any plans to make it from my present Point A to the Point B goal. I have not considered any options because options imply that I had the initial vision.
I am a Disciple of Jesus Christ and so I know who I am and I know where I am going. The events, news, and situations are part of a world that I am not a citizen but, in fact, am an alien. The fear that this world brings on is like a chihuahua. Very loud, very annoying but essentially an ankle-biter, not a rottweiler or doberman.
If fear is plaguing your life, get behind and follow the One who will show you how to kick fear to the curb and flush him down the sewer like he deserves!