Are you are "scardy cat"? This morning while I was walking our new puppy in the back acres, he stopped to take care of "business" when suddenly the neighbors's dog let out a loud bark. Bene immediately stopped what he was doing and quickly ran back to me. That got me thinking about how it is we become scared or learn to be scared of different things. How is it that an 8 week old puppy knows to be afraid? To my knowledge no one taught him to be afraid - so it must be an innate quality placed inside him and us by God. Now there are many good reasons for us to have this natural "fear factor" working in our minds. Preservation of life for ourselves and members of our pack or family is probably the best one. We learn to fear that which may harm us. We fear injury, hunger, emptiness and loneliness to mention a few. So being a scardy cat - or fearing different things may be good for us - but - what about those things we fear or are afraid of that do not have a true "fear factor"?
Being afraid of flying - or trying a new food - or traveling to a different country - or doing numerous other things that we have never done before - why are we afraid? Most of us cannot answer that question. Perhaps it comes down to the fact that we lack trust - not in others - but in ourselves. We do not trust that we can accept or deal with that which is unknown to us. We fear the unknown for no good reason. Our lack of knowledge creates a false fear and then, if we give in, causes us angst and worry.
Jesus says to us - do not be afraid - I am with you always. Throughout our lives - Jesus has always been there. At our conception and birth - as we were growing up - as we matured into adults - Jesus has always been there. He has walked alongside us our entire life and has been with us as we experienced the good as well as the bad events in our life. When we were the weakest, He was the strongest - always holding our hand, always sharing His strength with us.
The next time we feel scared and afraid we need to pause and ask Jesus to give us the strength and knowledge to face that which we fear. With Jesus at our side - all things are possible!
God Bless
Deacon Dale
Being afraid of flying - or trying a new food - or traveling to a different country - or doing numerous other things that we have never done before - why are we afraid? Most of us cannot answer that question. Perhaps it comes down to the fact that we lack trust - not in others - but in ourselves. We do not trust that we can accept or deal with that which is unknown to us. We fear the unknown for no good reason. Our lack of knowledge creates a false fear and then, if we give in, causes us angst and worry.
Jesus says to us - do not be afraid - I am with you always. Throughout our lives - Jesus has always been there. At our conception and birth - as we were growing up - as we matured into adults - Jesus has always been there. He has walked alongside us our entire life and has been with us as we experienced the good as well as the bad events in our life. When we were the weakest, He was the strongest - always holding our hand, always sharing His strength with us.
The next time we feel scared and afraid we need to pause and ask Jesus to give us the strength and knowledge to face that which we fear. With Jesus at our side - all things are possible!
God Bless
Deacon Dale
