If fear were an art form, I would be Rembrandt or Austen or Mozart. I have practiced the art of fear since I was a child. It began with the usual suspects: spiders, the dark, strangers. But over the years it grew in strength and morphed into something far less innocuous. Fear of failure, of being wrong, of physical harm, or of people’s opinions began to inform all of my decisions.
I created worlds from worry and composed melodies from maybes and what if’s. I lived, breathed and practiced fear for so long that it began to feel normal. Fear is not normal. God did not weave anxiety or dread into the fabric of our beings. He created us for Freedom not fear.
‘For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.’ ~2 Timothy 1:7 Amplified
Fear remains my default position. If it is yours too, know that you are not alone. Know too, that you have control over what influences your mind and spirit. If the nightly news feeds your anxieties, turn off the TV. If reading about child abuse wigs you out, then choose a different book. If talking to other mother’s about their kid’s accomplishments makes you feel like a failure, then create a better conversation. The choice is yours, Freedom or fear.
What art are you practicing? How do you fight fear?
