What Are You Afraid Of

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” - Joseph Campbell.

I was afraid of everything as a kid. To swim, bike, climb a tree, you name it. I would frustrate my brothers who were trying to teach me how to ride a bike so I could join my friends. Or my mother who signed me up for swimming lessons so I could survive in water. I panicked and ran away every time. Each of these things were going to benefit my life but fear took over instead. It blocked a blessing. Fear is still very active in my life now but I try to face it and manage it better. Yes, I still refuse to watch a horror movie but that is one stand I won’t budge on for other reasons. Haha.

As adults, we obviously know fear does not go away. Even though as little kids some of us look at our parents and believe they are not afraid of anything. Clearly, now we know the truth. They are just as afraid. However, now we are wiser to understand our fear more; the reasoning behind it and that we must face it. Fear blocks us from our purpose. Fear is there to keep you from even trying to succeed because it makes us think we will fail. It’s a terrible lie that we won’t make it and keeps us giving up and walking away. But as God’s children He did not give us fear. We know this and we know it well. So why do we accept it as part of our lives? Good question right. But can we answer it? 

Where your fear is there your purpose lies.

Think of a battle. Your enemy does not want you to win and by win, I mean to get to your purpose. So, to stop you he needs to make you afraid. If you are afraid, you won’t fight, and he wins the battle. If you are afraid of public speaking because you stutter, then you stay away from it. Moses in the Bible had trouble speaking yet how many speeches did he have to give to Pharaoh and the Israelites on their journey to freedom. Think of people who face that same fear today. James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Mufasa in The Lion King and Darth Vader from Star Wars has a stutter. Imagine having a stutter but being an amazing voice actor. There are countless others facing countless fears and pursuing their dreams. Let’s be one of them.

Sometimes our struggle is the hint. Are you afraid to showcase your talent? Do you think if you write that book or make that video no one would care? Is there any hesitation with anything that you want to do? Whatever you struggle with, it does not define you. You are who God made you to be. To overcome anything and everything. The worst thing you can do is to never try at all. Then you miss out on either learning from a failure or gaining from a win. Either way, do it and keep doing it. Just as you keep taking the next step you will eventually get there. Imagine one day looking back at the current fear and laughing at how it could not hold you down. Because it can’t and it shouldn’t. Let’s go!