Are you fearful of the outcome of an illness, or that your spouse will divorce you, or that you will lose your job, or of that bill to pay, or of a deadline, or even of a height, animal or death?
When we fear, we are simply allowing our minds imagine a bad future. That is what fear is!
In reality, fear is a use, or better said, misuse, of one’s imagination. Fear is simply an action of the mind and whatever has the control over your mind has the ultimate control over your life and health (as you’ve learnt a few days back).
In reality, fear is a use, or better said, misuse, of one’s imagination. Fear is simply an action of the mind and whatever has the control over your mind has the ultimate control over your life and health (as you’ve learnt a few days back).
Do you desire to be free from your fears? Do you really want to stop your fears?
Well, there are two things you can do.
The first is to learn to face your fear of a bad future by questioning it and start imagining a good future.
What’s the evidence that your fearful thought is true or that it’s not true?
Is there a more positive, realistic way of looking at the situation?
What’s the probability that what you’re scared of will actually happen?
If the probability is low, what are some more likely outcomes?
And if the probability is high, will being fearful help you sort it out or will it hurt you more than even the situation?
Is there a chance that your life will move on even when what you fear happens and have you ever experienced a similar situation in the past and survived?The second would be to stop thinking about the future and just take one day at a time.
The principle remains true in that we have to discipline our minds and choose not to think about a bad future. We can choose our thoughts. It just takes mastery.
Much of what people fear are the realities of life. Some may think this is cold, but people die, people lose jobs, people choose to do crazy things in relationships, etc and life still goes on thereafter. There is nothing one can really do about this reality. For example, I know some fearful parents who won't let their children fly because they are afraid the plane could crash and whenever they had no choice other than to allow them fly, they get really stressed out and their blood pressure is worse for it.
Much of what people fear are the realities of life. Some may think this is cold, but people die, people lose jobs, people choose to do crazy things in relationships, etc and life still goes on thereafter. There is nothing one can really do about this reality. For example, I know some fearful parents who won't let their children fly because they are afraid the plane could crash and whenever they had no choice other than to allow them fly, they get really stressed out and their blood pressure is worse for it.
Some people are afraid they will go bankrupt or broke or get kidnapped if they go some places or allow their children play in the neighbourhood and worry endlessly about it. What should they do? Could someone get kidnapped? Yes. Could you go bankrupt? Yes. These things happen and If they happen, you experience the pain and emotions then - there is no sense forcing yourself to experience it before it happens.
There are things you can control and things you can't. Much of what we fear is out of our hands and we can't control it. So, we must know and accept what we can control.
There are things you can control and things you can't. Much of what we fear is out of our hands and we can't control it. So, we must know and accept what we can control.
You can't control if your spouse leaves you but you can control how you treat your spouse.
You can't control a downturn in the economy but you can control whether you save for a rainy day or not.
You can't control whether or not you will get a fatal disease but you can control your risk exposure by eating right, controlling stress and exercising.
You can't control how your kids will turn out but you can control how you raise them, what kind of example you set, and what you teach them.
You can't control how others will treat you but you can control how you will treat others.
Control what you can control, let go of the rest and let God.
Here is where your spiritual well-being comes in. There is an old theological term called "sovereignty," that basically means, "God is in control of the universe." I believe that and I think one of the overriding principles of life that we can embrace that will help us overcome fear is that we can relinquish control and trust that someone greater than us is fully aware of what is happening on this earth and in our lives.
Here is where your spiritual well-being comes in. There is an old theological term called "sovereignty," that basically means, "God is in control of the universe." I believe that and I think one of the overriding principles of life that we can embrace that will help us overcome fear is that we can relinquish control and trust that someone greater than us is fully aware of what is happening on this earth and in our lives.
This sovereign God knows what he’s doing, he’s thinking about you and he’s also planning a good future for you which is your desire. I leave a lot of my fears on this belief.
Getting over fear is an issue of the mind and, believe me, the battle over fear can be won and must be won if you must win over that challenging situation you fear!
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