A lot of times we see fear as a sign weakness or a lack of faith in God. I want to challenge this for a moment in regards to your dreams and things you are passionate about....
Many of us let fear get in the way of long-term goals, and that's not good. But it's definitely a mistake to think you can completely overcome fear in general. You can't (at least, not without a temporal lobectomy). And even if you could, you wouldn't like the results. We need our instincts to let us know when something is just wrong -- an immediate emotional evaluation that is even more powerful than complex reasoning and logic. Feeling fear is neither abnormal nor a sign of weakness: The capacity to be afraid is part of normal brain function. In fact, a lack of fear may be a sign of serious brain damage. Being afraid and living in a state of fear are two completely different things. Living in a state of fear is what comes to mind when people quote 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.". Living in a state of fear acts as an anchor and will always pull you further down away from your goals if you don't release it at some point. Everyone gets scared/afraid so don't ever beat yourself up for being human! Fear, to me, is something that we all need to feel and embrace instead of using it as an excuse. We get so stuck in our comfort zone that we literally find any reason not to step out of it. FEAR is one of those words that we use as a reason not to reach our dreams.
Think about it.....When you got that promotion, when you moved out on your own, when you relocated, when you started that business, when you put together that event, when you quit your 9-5 to pursue your dreams....were you afraid? PROBABLY! Afraid that things may not go the way you want or need them to, afraid that you won't do well, afraid of change.............FEEL ALL OF THAT!! Fear has such a negative connotation attached to it that we forget that it is fuel! When your adrenaline starts pumping, your focus gets intense, creative ideas start flowing ...that is fear! When fear strikes it is important to listen to it because it could present some valid points, but focus on solutions and how you can overcome whatever it is that fear is showing you.
Fear can be uncomfortable and crippling if you let it, but eliminating it would be the equivalent of disconnecting your home alarm system because it sometimes makes loud and irritating sounds. You have to keep your alarm system to know when something isn't right at home! Being fearless doesn’t mean eliminating fear. Being fearless means knowing how to leverage and channel fear, so what would you do if you felt fearless? I challenge each of you to do ONE thing every day that scares you.....Learn how you react to it and adjust accordingly. Once something arises that REALLY scares you, you will know how to channel it. Know that fear is a natural part of starting down a new path....Blaze that path and don't be afraid of being afraid!
Love,
Meek
