BLOG: Faith Triumphs Fear
The last few years should have taught us one fundamental lesson, nothing good can come from fear, primarily irrational fear. It is said, and I believe, that faith and fear cannot coexist. They cannot occupy the same space. The good news is that when that space is the area of your mind, then the choice is yours. If you pick faith, you can limit fear because of this principle.
I look at fear differently as I get older and with renewed consideration, having worked in a law enforcement career. Fear in its primary form can be helpful. Fear of being eaten by a lion can inform you to make decisions that allow you to stay off their evening menu. Fear of being gored by a giant Bison can inspire you to make decisions differently than the three bystanders who have been gored in Yellowstone this year. Fear of being run over by a car can motivate you to not stand in front of one that is moving. Fear, in this sense, is helpful from an evolutionary perspective.
Fear informed me in many ways as a child. I was fearful of heights, deep water, and dogs. Though these are somewhat irrational fears, time and understanding, coupled with maturity, allowed me to overcome many childhood fears. I love water and have two large dogs. Fear was what I knew as a child because I lacked understanding. I didn’t know how to swim. I had been attacked as a young child by a dog, and we had never had dogs growing up. My lack of information fed my fear.
“Fear in this context is also healthy; it provides caution and prudence that can allow for clarity. ”
Fear can save your life in law enforcement. We have heard veteran officers talk about their “spidey- senses.” That moment caused the hair to stand up on the back of their neck and this caution, this fear, allowed them to either take action or not take action that saved their life. Fear in this context is also healthy; it provides caution and prudence that can allow for clarity.
All fear is not reasonable, as you know. Some can use fear as a weapon. We have seen this over the last few years globally and in the United States. Fear is one of the fastest ways for government to grow and individual rights to shrink. We watched it first hand when, because of fear, the government often attacked small businesses and individual rights with little to no resistance.
This tactic worked so well in a country such as America, where there are written protections that should have served as safeguards, that so-called leaders apply fear to every conceivable societal issue they can dream up. If they can keep the populace in fear, then they have control. Ultimately, that is what fear is; it gives your power over a matter to the matter itself. You no longer believe you can handle whatever the issue may be, so you decide to submit to the fear or to those who can “handle” the problem over which you are afraid.
Fear is limiting. We believe that something or someone threatens us, and we freeze. Fear is inactive, and fear is often paralyzing. Fear does not seek to solve the problem; it only acknowledges that the problem exists.
This type of fear is dangerous and is often characterized adequately as an irrational fear. Fear may save your life, but irrational fear limits life. It becomes a chain around us, and we become its slave. Fear becomes the lens through which we see everything, and the irrational fear drives us to find release by any means necessary. Unfortunately, we now know that many people will quickly trade freedom for tyranny, all because of irrational fear.
There is good news. We do not have to let fear have that much power over us. We don’t have to let it rule us in any way, and we certainly do not have to give over our autonomy. Instead, we have the option of choosing faith. Now, when I use the term faith here, it does not have to be in a religious context. You can simply have faith that things are going to get better. A faith that not everything is harmful and that the universe is inspiring together for my good. Call it positive thinking, speaking, affirmation, whatever term you choose, but fear can no longer exist in that environment when you change your mindset and allow faith to take root.
“We do not have to let fear have that much power over us. We don’t have to let it rule us in any way, and we certainly do not have to give over our autonomy. Instead, we have the option of choosing faith.”
For those of religious faith, this should go without saying. It amazes me how many professing Christians, and religious people freeze with fear. Fear and faith cannot, ever, under any circumstance, coexist, period. This is simply a fact.
Faith has complete trust in something or someone to come through. By this definition, what would I ever have to fear if I have faith in the very Creator of the world? It is irrational to say that you have confidence in a higher power and then live in a manner consumed by fear.
I don’t say this flippantly or pretend that, for its simplicity that what I am saying is easy. We all have a tendency to lose confidence and hope, whether of religious faith or not. We find ourselves consumed by fear of the unknown, fear of what we cannot control, and, as I stated earlier, fear of what we do not understand. Knowing this is what gives us hope. As with so many things, knowledge of the problem allows us to become part of the solution.
I encourage you to consider the areas where you have allowed fear to rule. See the areas in your life where irrational fear has taken hold, and it feels as though there is no hope. I encourage you to invite faith into it, have faith through it, and see what will happen. I also encourage you to take stock of the areas where you have given away freedom and autonomy in the name of safety; it is time to take this ground back courageously. Have faith, and you will conquer fear.
This Blog Post Appeared first at OnTheBlueLine.com. All Rights Reserved. August 2022
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Wayne Mulder is a law enforcement officer, speaker, writer and the host of the On The Blue Line podcast. Wayne is an advocate for law enforcement officer total health programs and a believer in empowering law enforcement officers in their personal lives. For more on his mission visit OnTheBlueLine.com.