CHILDHOOD FEARS

Why is it that at 3 am or thereabout we wake up with worry, fear or anxiety? Then what happens is that we play the what if game? What if the stock market tanks? What if I don’t get well? What if my marriage doesn’t make it?

You find yourself filled with  deep seated fear, intense worry or crippling anxiety.

I don’t think our cell phones and 24/7 news on demand is helping. It is easy to stress out about another senseless shooting, a terrorism attack, an escalating war.

Children also have their fears. They can fear, when their friend moves away, they will never have another friend like that one. They can fear, when they don’t make the team, they will miss out on life. They can fear, when they are little, that there is a monster under the bed.

When a child is afraid in the dark, the best thing to do is to turn on the light. In the light upon examination, there isn’t a monster under the bed. Then to hear a calm, reassuring voice its ok honey, you can go to sleep now, sweet dreams.

20 somethings can have their own version of fears. They can fear they will never get married, they will never pay off college debt, they will never be able to afford a house, they will never get into the right career. They aren’t alone with their fears.

 In all people, the two most common fears are the fear of dying and the fear of public speaking. There is also fear of the unknown, the fear of uncertainty, the fear of dentists. 

What would Jesus say to us about our fear? The first thing He would do is to turn on the light; the second is He would speak to us in a calm, reassuring voice.

Many times Jesus asked the question Why are you afraid? In One instance, it was about 3 in the morning and the disciples had been rowing in a storm about 9 hours. Jesus had sent the disciples out. He hadn’t promised them smooth sailing; he had promised them a safe arrival. 

So now Jesus was coming to them in a fierce storm, walking on the water. Jesus says to them Have courage. It is I. Do not be afraid. Peter replies courageously If it is you, command me to come to you on the water. Jesus says Come.

For the first time in his life Peter is walking on water. As long as he kept his eyes fixed on Jesus, he did the impossible. But he would take his eyes off Jesus and begin the sink.

There is a huge lesson for us here. We sink into doubt, fear, worry and anxiety when we take our eyes off Jesus and begin instead to look at the circumstances. We can look at the markets and doubt. We can look at the government and fear. We can look at our cell phone and worry. We can look at our news feed and feel anxiety.

So what is the best thing to do when we take our eyes off Jesus? We can do what Peter did. He cried out to Jesus to save him. He was sinking in the Sea of Galilee. He looked to Jesus to help him. 

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him said You of little faith, why did you doubt? This was a lesson Peter and the disciples would never forget.

I found myself sinking recently. I have been experiencing excruciating  pain for about 6 months. So I went to the dr and he told me what was the problem. He even had physiatrist in the other room who could give me a cortisone shot. Even though the pain has not completely abated, the light was turned on and the gentle voice gave me comfort.