Trapped By Fearনমুনা

The Root of Fear

Have you ever noticed how we don’t have to search for fear? When I was young, I worried about what others thought of me. People-pleasing quickly became a bigger priority than pleasing God. Not until college did I realize how much the fear of man controlled me. Wanting to be free, I commanded it to leave, ignored it, and memorized Scripture. But every morning, it was still there, staring back at me. Even more confused and frustrated, I accepted fear as a part of my life and the driving force behind my decisions.

The reason fear wouldn’t leave was that I was attacking the symptoms instead of the root problem. In life, we become susceptible to all kinds of fear through the negative circumstances and events we encounter. As we grow, so does the fear. This becomes the root fear from which other fears and lies stem. They wrap themselves around our personality and behaviors, inhibiting our ability to accept and apply God’s word.

When I started writing and speaking, the thought of people judging my work left me paralyzed. God asked some hard questions that allowed me to evaluate my fear. 

God: “Why are you afraid?” 

Me: “I fear I will fail.”

God: “Why does that matter, if you’re obeying me?”

Me: “I fear what people will think.” 

God: “Why do you care?” 

Me: “I fear they will reject me because I’m not good enough.”

There it was. The root of my fear exposed. Terrified and relieved, I was ready to find the smaller lies growing off the root lie. Two that I discovered quickly were, “I’m not enough as a friend”, and “I’m not enough to be in ministry”. The next step was to process with a trusted friend or mentor. God doesn’t intend for us to hide or battle alone, and when we admit our fear, it takes away the power that fuels it. 

With every step, God is uprooting lies and planting His truth. Before I started this journey, the truth had no place to attach and could act only as a bandage. Now, with the lies removed, the truth grows and feeds my soul. 

We are not what we fear. We are who God says we are. Every time you hear a Bible verse that dispels a fear you have, write it down. Post it somewhere, read it daily, and think about how it could be true and applied to your life.