Overcoming Your Fears

Psalm (56:3)
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

If fear is causing you to hide from somebody. Your boss, your wife or husband. Your strong willed child. Maybe your grouchy co-worker.
Remember when God asked Adam, Where are you?”
He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Genesis (3:9-10).

We have all been hiding from things ever since. We hide behind forced smiles, agreeable words we don't mean and social rituals we detest. Or worse, we hide behind things we do not believe but don't express because we are afraid of what people might think or say. We try to avoid the pain of confronting someone, and the emotional energy we're afraid well have to invest in cleaning up afterwards. Short-term it may be easier to act as if things don't bother you, or pretend to agree when, in reality, you disagree.

But long-term it doesn't work, because peace isn't the absence of discord. When we remain silent in order to avoid confrontation we just end up avoiding something far more important: relationships.

For example, when we don't speak up on the job because we fear making waves, we end up resentful, alienated from our fellow workers, and maybe losing an opportunity to make things better. When we're afraid to confront our marriage partner(and this should be done in love, not anger), we end up emotionally distant. When we refuse to share our faith because we're afraid of being ridiculed, we lose the opportunity to bring hope to someone who really needs it.

So rise up and say, 'When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.' Confront your fears, come out of hiding and start living.