Fear Not - But How?

[CalledtoServe]

O.K. I’ll admit it, I struggle with anxiety (not as in a disorder). I’m concerned about the future and, especially, with the safety and security of our family. Now, I know Jesus said not to be concerned about the future, but how do you do that?

We tell our children not to be afraid, to pray to their guardian angel, to pray the rosary. “God is always with you” we say. They trust but then see/hear about horrible things going on in the world. How do I explain these things to them and to myself for that matter? Surely, many of these children abducted/abused/killed, these people suffering, these people starving pray(ed). Why weren’t they protected by their guardian angels? Why didn’t God clothe them as he does the lillies of the field?

 

[Beaver]

The confessional is an excellant option. The bible says fear the Lord ownly. Any other fear comes from the evil one. In the confessional God will give you the grace to overcome these fears.

 

[cheddarsox]

CalledtoServe:

O.K. I’ll admit it, I struggle with anxiety (not as in a disorder). I’m concerned about the future and, especially, with the safety and security of our family. Now, I know Jesus said not to be concerned about the future, but how do you do that?

We tell our children not to be afraid, to pray to their guardian angel, to pray the rosary. “God is always with you” we say. They trust but then see/hear about horrible things going on in the world. How do I explain these things to them and to myself for that matter? Surely, many of these children abducted/abused/killed, these people suffering, these people starving pray(ed). Why weren’t they protected by their guardian angels? Why didn’t God clothe them as he does the lillies of the field?

Good and hard questions all. I chose the “lillies of the field” gospel to be read at our wedding, and have often since thought about its meaning. And, do you know what? The lillies of the field have their season, their beauty, but they are subject to being crushed, picked, and drying up and dying. Worrying cannot add a cubit to our stature, we will endure what we must endure, that is life. But, it is all in the hands of the divine, none the less. I don’t think we are promised an easy life or special protection, rather, we will be subject to the same hardships as anyone else, but what we know, which will get us through, is that it is all in the hands of the divine. Nothing can happen that will seperate us from the love of God.

I don’t know if that will ease your spirit or not, but that is how I have come to see it over the course of my life. I endure hardships. My beliefs do not protect me from the hardship, but they protect me from “going under” due to the hardship.

This is an area where people fall easily into “superstition” such as various prayers, medals, statues (buried upside down) and what have you, hoping such magic will protect them from what life is. It is normal for folks to want a security blanket. We all have our rituals that help ease our mind.

It is true that bad things happen to good people, and to devout and godly people, but it is also true that we can endure these things when they occur, and that we do not have to be crippled by worry beforehand.The lillies don’t worry. they don’t dwell on their fate. They bloom richly when it is their time to bloom. We should as well, not hide our bloom out of fear or anxiety or even the knowledge that in the end the bloom will wither and fall. Bloom anyway.

I hope others chime in, I think these are really important questions.

cheddar

 

[JamesD]

CalledtoServe:

O.K. I’ll admit it, I struggle with anxiety (not as in a disorder). I’m concerned about the future and, especially, with the safety and security of our family. Now, I know Jesus said not to be concerned about the future, but how do you do that?

I used to be very handicapped by fear. Not a clinical anxiety but a failure to act becasue of fear of failure, fear of rejection etc.

I firmly believe that I have come a long way in overcomming these type of fears byexcersizing bravery by just doing it (what I am afraid to do). After a while the fear becomes less primarily because the thing that once frightened us are now within are expanded comfort zone. Also, by excersizing our bravery we can more easily deal with things that are still outside of our comfort zone.

With regards to the future and things beyond our control like the safety of our kids. (One of my biggest fears is that in having 5 kids the chances of something very bad happening to one is so greatly increased and I just can’t imagine what kind of thing that would be to go thru.) This is where I excersize trust in God. When I get anxious about the future I contemplate the reasons I can think of that tell me that I can trust in God. Over the years it seems that the frequency of this kind of anxiety has diminished greatly and when it happens it doesn’t take much time to review the reasons to “be not afraid”.

Outside of trust in god I learned a lot from “How to stop worrying and start living” by Dale Carnegy. It is full of techniques to reduce fear. One of my favorites is: Ask yourself what is the worst thing that can happen if I do this? Typically you find that the worst thing that can happen is not that fearfull.

 

[JamesD]

CalledtoServe:

We tell our children not to be afraid, to pray to their guardian angel, to pray the rosary. “God is always with you” we say. They trust but then see/hear about horrible things going on in the world. How do I explain these things to them and to myself for that matter? Surely, many of these children abducted/abused/killed, these people suffering, these people starving pray(ed). Why weren’t they protected by their guardian angels? Why didn’t God clothe them as he does the lillies of the field?

I suppose it depends on the individual child (age experiences, temprement etc.). It’s a tough one and it is so crucial. I continuously tell my kids that the most important thing for them is to trust God. I tell tham that this means trusting that he will not abandon you but also that trust in God means listening for him to communicate with you and doing what God asks. I tell them that if you do what God asks you will never go wrong. I hope that this stays with them so that even if they fail to follow this advice that they will remember some day when things get really bad. I also tell my older kids that the World is messed up because of our sins and the sins of Adam & Eve. Because the world is messed up, bad things can happen to anyone (while they live in this world).And no one get thru this world without troubles. But for those who go thru trouble they will come out of it with joy if they turn to the Lord. I also tell the older ones that there is worse things than starving or dieing.

 

[CalledtoServe]

You have all made some excellent points. Now, how about all the verses on asking & receiving? Why can’t we, with great faith, just ask for safety & protection and receive it? I’d love to be able to explain these versus to my children but find it difficult if I do not understand them myself.