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Relating Beyond Fear
One of the problems that has seemed to take hold of people during and after the pandemic is fear. Not just fear of COVID but fear of one another. People have become increasingly more fearful of their neighbors, acquaintances, and coworkers. People stopped speaking to one another, stopped even saying hello and therefore, developed more superficial, myth-based, media-based opinions of one another. The enemy is trying to use fear so effectively in
society today. There is such a level of fear, that leads to mistrust, that leads to isolation that prevents building needed and fruitful relationships. If you want to connect with someone, you need to be willing to take the step. This often requires courage. Why? Because it’s fear that disconnects human beings.
When we’re full of fear and anxiety, it’s difficult to get close to others. We back off. We’re leery of one another, afraid of being rejected, manipulated, vulnerable, or hurt. All these fears can cause us to stay disconnected in life. We’re afraid, so we hide. We hide in our silos, and we hide our sins. We hide our true selves. We don’t let people know what we’re really like because if we do and they don’t like us. So, we alienate, pretend or avoid. We tend to have fewer and less meaningful relationships.
Fear does terrible things to relationships: The 3 D’s
- Fear makes us defensive. When people point out our weaknesses, we retaliate and defend ourselves.
- Fear keeps us distant. We don’t let people get close to us. We withdraw away from those who are called to edify, and many times be blessing to our lives. We hide our emotions.
- Fear makes us more demanding. The more insecure we are, the more we attempt to control things. We try to have the last word in a relationship. We seek to dominate. We tend to be more self-serving.
So where do you get the courage to take the first step to connect with someone, to converse, to move beyond fears assumptions and media portrayal and go to a deeper level of relationship? The power of the Holy Spirit in your life gives you and I the courage to live. He teaches how to be wise and not just controlled by fear. God has not given us the spirit of fear. In one revised version of the Bible it paraphrases For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them” (2 Timothy 1:7).
When the Holy Spirit is filling and directing your life you are more courageous in your relationships. You love people. You enjoy being with them. You’re not just labeling them. You’re not afraid of them, because God’s Spirit is in your life. The Bible says that “God is love” (1 John 4:8) and that “Perfect love casts out all fear” (1 John 4:18).
The more of God you have in your life, the less fear will have a hold on your life. There is so much life that God wants us to enjoy. Life with other believers, with church relationships, in everyday relationships, new people to engage and friendships to make. Don’t allow fear to prevent you from enjoying an abundant life.
Quote:
Fear should never be the reason to do or not to do something!
Quote:
The Lord is my light and my salvation who shall I fear!
Humor: Don’t worry the spider is smaller than you. Yeah, so is a grenade…!
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