Growing out of Fear
Some flowers fade and wither away in the fall but leave behind new shoots that will take root, ready to ignite bold and vibrant color again in the spring. But if the flower were afraid of the clouds, would she bloom?
If you, like that flower, fall captive to fear what will you miss out on?
Fear is real and it can be debilitating.
But fear is not always real or rational.
After your life has been altered by a traumatic event, you will experience "triggers" that can cause you to feel afraid. This is normal.
Some fears are founded with validity and deserve cautious proceedings and wisdom to navigate. Other fears are purely irrational, nothing threatening exists where you wander but you cannot help but remain paralyzed there.
You will have to determine if what you fear stems from your trauma or if your fear has merit. Being afraid of the dark itself may be irrational if the dark has no threat but being fearful of what might lurk in a dark alley could be wise and can actually propel you to discern a wiser route to your car.
This does not mean to let these fears control you, keeping you from obeying God or living your life. Some circumstances in life actually do pose a threat. You cannot worry about every existing threat in the world or even in your own city. This will cause you to spiral downward into depression, substance abuse, and other unhealthy coping mechanisms or mental illnesses. When you ask for wisdom from God, He grants it to you.
Through wisdom and the power of discernment from the Holy Spirit, you can walk through your daily life without stumbling into unknown fears.
There were times when I ran and hid from the sights that brought back memories I didn't want to deal with. Because I ran instead of following Christ, I don't know what I missed when I hid my face out of fear. But the times I trusted the love of my good Father more than I believed my irrational fears, I found opportunities and made memories I never could have imagined on my own.
Open your eyes and unplug your ears, God has something incredible waiting for you. He awaits in a place without fear. He draws you to new and amazing opportunities. He is in control, give your fears over to Him. Ask Him for wisdom and you will receive it.
