Spiritual Development

Worrying is a normal human reaction caused by uncertainty or fear of things that are beyond one’s control. Most people want to feel like they are in control of their lives or certain aspects of them. Ironically, life by its very nature is uncertain, and for most people, this translates to having one or more things to worry about at any given time. Common things that people worry about include their own or their loved one’s health, finances, employment issues, and relationships. Worry is not just limited to circumstances, but it can extend to things happening in the bigger world around us. The mainstream news adds to the worry list as they expose crime, inflation, rising costs of living, wars, civil unrest in different parts of the world, natural disasters, hunger and famine, and climate change. For the past few years, the COVID-19 pandemic has also been a significant driver of worry. People were worried about whether they or their loved ones would contract the virus and if they did, whether they would survive it. Healthcare workers were caught between worrying about the welfare of their patients and worrying about their safety in the workplace. People worried about vaccines and whether there would be enough for everyone and whether they were safe to take. People worried about losing their jobs and those that lost their jobs continue to worry about their livelihoods. Given all this, it is easy for one to be consumed by fear which in turn leads to worrying. Does worry change things? There is a famous saying by Erma Bombeck which says, “worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.” What this means is, worrying does not prevent bad things from happening. Instead of losing yourself in worry, [...]

We are all afraid of something. Whether it be fear of the future, the unknown, illness, loss, or even what others think of us, anxiety is an inevitable part of life. In 2020 Chapman University surveyed a group of 1,035 adults in the United States to better understand the fears of the average American at that time. The survey results showed that the following circumstances are what they most commonly feared: Corrupt government officials at 79.6% People they love dying at 58.5% A loved one contracting COVID19 at 58% Widespread civil unrest at 56.5% A pandemic or major epidemic Economic collapse at 54.8% Pollution of oceans, rivers, and lakes at 50.8% Biological warfare at 49.3% Just looking at the above list, there must be a fear we each relate to. Fear is a natural part of life and is an emotion that can help protect us from harm. But when we allow fear to rule our lives and become chronic, that’s when it might be time to reevaluate. In today’s blog, we are going to explore the positive side of fear, chronic fear and its effects, Bible verses about fear and what the Word of God has to say on the subject, and two simple ways to battle fear with faith. The Positive Side of Anxiety We tend to think that being afraid makes us weak. But actually, feeling fear is completely natural and can even save our lives. The positive side of fear is often overlooked as we try to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and fight them in our own strength. But what if we chose to let the fear in a little, sit with it for a minute, as we held it up to the light of God’s loving presence? Maybe acknowledging what we fear [...]