Fear Is Just a Bad Dream

I’ve had my share of bad dreams. As a child, I remember having dreams of a steamroller overtaking me - leaving me flat as Wile E. Coyote in the Road Runner cartoons. (No doubt that’s where that dream originated!) Later my bad dreams were not of falling or monsters or things that go BUMP in the night. Oddly enough, my recurring bad dream was that I was on a sailboat on a silent, flat ocean. Not a puff of wind to take me anywhere. No compass - no destination. Stillness – just suffocating stillness. I remember waking from that dream with a feeling of listlessness and loneliness.

I sometimes wonder if that dream was the predecessor of my greatest fear, which is best described as “missing the boat”. My mind knows that we are human beings, not human doings. However, my heart hasn’t fully absorbed the message that my life is not performance-based. I used to blithely quote “what you are is God’s gift to you and what you become is your gift to God.” I’ve quit reciting that as it really adds to the performance pressure. What if I miss an opportunity or don’t become all that God intended for me? What if I die with the music still in me? What if? What if? Just STOP!

The only way I know to combat fear is with faith. And even when I don’t FEEL full of faith, I can be assured that faith is not based on feelings. In fact, God spoke to my heart years ago with the assurance that the shield of faith has a safety catch on it. Especially handy for me. Fear may be a bad dream, but that doesn’t make it a reality.

There is much in the world to make us afraid. There is much more in our faith to make us unafraid.
~Frederick W. Cropp

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This post was the result of some “mulling” I’ve done since Michelle over at Scribbit put out the October writing challenge on the subject of Fear. I also entered a post from my business blog. Have I ever mentioned I love words?

Dead Head

My blog friend, ADHD Me, got me thinking with her "15 Things I'm Not Afraid to Admit" game. I'm not giving you 15, but I'll do one.

I have an unreasonable fear of the dentist. This is very unfortunate because I have to go alot. I was one of those kids that had 3 cavities everytime I went to get my teeth cleaned. My sister? None. We both used the same toothpaste and brushed the same amount and ate the same diet but who got all the cavities? Me. Even when I was in high school, I would cry when they'd tell me I had to come back for fillings.

Now I discover that fillings don't last forever. And when they die, they want to be crowned. Crowns are named that because you have to be the Queen of England to pay for them.

Today I went in for not one, but TWO crowns. So I have a dead head from so much novocaine. And from realizing that today's office visit is my birthday present and Christmas present for this year and next year as well.

"Chin up", I say to myself, "at least you have your teeth and have food to eat with your teeth." Can I hear an "Amen, sista?"

Who me?

I have always loved Gideon. I'm sure you remember the story. He’s the guy who was hiding in the winepress to thresh wheat because the land was full of enemies. An angel showed up and said to Gideon, “Hey you! Mighty Man of Valor!” Gideon looked around wondering,”Who me? Who are you talking to?” And the angel warrior points at him. This has always made me laugh. Who hasn’t felt inadequate and fearful and thought “moi?!” Who hasn’t been found hiding behind walls (often of our own making) that offer perceived protection against our enemies?

I find myself constantly needing to move out in courage that I don’t feel to conquer enemies with names like doubt, fear and comfort. How can comfort be an enemy? Ahh- comfort zones can certainly keep us in the land of safety, security and the status quo. I’m pretty sure we aren’t designed to stay the same.

Enough about me, let’s get back to Gideon. The angel of the Lord told Gideon to “Go in the strength that you have and I will be with you.” What a great thing to know! But he was still afraid. (You see why I relate to this guy?) So he snuck out at night to do the first part of what he was supposed to do. He still got the job done and wasn’t penalized for being a chicken. The next chapter in Judges tells the fascinating story of the victory of Gideon’s army. But once again, Gideon has to be reassured beyond what would even seem reasonable. But God was patient with him and an awesome victory resulted.What seems small and inadequate in our sight can be mighty if God is with us. Is that good news or what?