“Seven Deadly Fears.”
“Fear Not, for behold I bring you Good News of Great Joy.” Luke 2:10
“Perfect Love casts out all fear.” 1 John 4:18
“God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of power and love and self control.” 2 Timothy 1:7
“The Little Warrior” is the name of a commercial sponsored by Hyundai to promote their “Hope on Wheels” campaign. A little girl is in the Roman Colosseum faced with a huge monster. It is a fearful situation, in which the girl vanquishes the monster, representing her victory over her battle with the monster called cancer. The ad conveys the powerful message of facing full-on whatever fears we have.
There’s a spirit of fear prevalent among people, caused by monsters with many names. Have you noticed it? Do you feel it? Are you experiencing it? What effect is it having upon you?
What is the name of YOUR fear monster? I did a quick search and discovered what might be called “The Seven Deadly Fears”, corresponding in some sense to the “Seven Deadly Sins” common in ancient Christianity. Here they are—in no particular order.
- Fear of Not Being in Control: Believing falsely that somehow one has the ability to control events or others.
- Fear of Criticism: The deep dread of what other people will say about your ideas, plans, or appearance.
- Fear of Ill Health: An obsession or extreme anxiety regarding sickness, disease, or physical pain. This one is very prevalent as one ages.
- Fear of Loss of Love (Or Loved Ones): The dread of losing a spouse or child or other love one. Or the loss of another’s affection, which often leads to jealousy and a desperate desire to hold tightly to another at any and all costs.
- Fear of Loss of Liberty: The innate resistance and panic related to losing personal or national freedom.
- Fear of Aging: Anxiety about getting older, losing physical vitality, losing “good looks”, and becoming a burden to family, all of which results in desperate attempts to “capture” youth.
- Fear of Death: The most primal fear of dying and facing the unknown afterlife.
Do any of these resonate with you? If so, how? Maybe take some time to ponder your fears. . .
And now another question: How do you cope with your fear? There are many options I suppose, but the call of Faith is one in which hearken to the sound of the angels, the saints, and Jesus Himself.
Here I pause. I don’t want to fall into the trap of common Christian cliches or pious platitudes. It is too easy to simply say “Trust in God.” Or to tell another that all that is needed is faith in Jesus and everything will be OK.
I wonder if Jesus WAS ever afraid? If He was fully human, He must’ve been. My mind goes to the end of His life, when He faced the monster of crucifixion, sweating blood while in prayer in The Garden. What allowed Him to keep going? Was it courage? No. Was it incredible bravery? I don’t think so. I believe it was love. I believe that His love for God, and for us, is what compelled Him to cross through the valley of death (Psalm 23) and complete His journey to the cross. Jesus was SO filled with the perfect love of God that He was able not to feel fear, but to overcome it.
What part does God’s love play in your life? Do you know, without a doubt, that you are deeply and dearly loved? How do you receive, believe, and embrace that love? How does that love fill you and serve to guide your life? And most important, perhaps, how does God’s love cause you to face the monster of fear, in whatever form it might take, and live in the loving freedom of God?