Fears. We all have them. For me, it’s heights. I’m not a fan. Now, if I’m in a plane, or in a building, I’m good. But, put me on the roof of a house? Nope. Climbing a tall ladder? Um…pass. Peeking over the edge of a building? No thank you!
I’m not sure when my fear of heights began. Too many weird dreams, I suppose. Maybe it’s more of a ‘fear of falling’? Hmmmm. Fears. We all have them. Even one of my movie heroes, Indiana Jones, had a fear.
“Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?”
Indiana Jones
Snakes and heights are pretty common fears. But, here are a few other unusual fears you might not have heard about.
- Globophobia: The fear of balloons. (Oprah Winfrey has this)
- Pupaphobia: The fear of puppets.
- Turophobia: The fear of cheese. (how is this even possible?)
- Nomophobia: The fear of being without a phone.
- Arachibutyrophobia: The fear of Peanut Butter getting stuck to the roof of your mouth.
Today, there’s one fear/phobia that many people are dealing with. And, chances are, YOU are, too.
- Mysophobia: The fear of hands.
The Coronavirus, COVID-19, has people around the world on high alert. Making contact with one another has even brought about a new phrase, “social distancing”. Yes, the concern is real! It’s not something to mess around with. We need to be smart. We need to wash our hands. We need to wipe down surfaces. But, we can’t live in fear. Being “concerned”, and “living in fear”, are two different things.
I remember a few weeks ago, my wife, Patty, and I noticed that a piece of siding had come off from near the roof of the garage. So, I decided to tackle two fears at once: climbing a ladder, and climbing onto the roof of the house.
I climbed the ladder pretty swiftly. I pulled myself up on the roof, and began the climb toward where the siding had come unattached. With a very deep breath, I inched my way to the edge of the roof. As I leaned over to attach the siding…it happened. I froze. I could NOT move. Fear got the best of me. Now, in my defense, this was about 30 feet off of the ground. Just then, I realized, not only could I not do it, but I had to inch my way back down the roof toward the ladder, and then re-position myself to climb down. It’s like I was paralyzed.
Fear is a weapon that the enemy uses to paralyze us. Fear holds us back. Everyday, I play many songs that remind us all that we need not fear. “Fear is a liar”. “Fear No More”. “Whom shall I Fear?” Even powerful lyrics about fear, “I’m no longer a slave to fear”, and, “I will trust you Lord, I will fear no more”.
I encourage you to take at a look at the following Bible verses about fear. I truly believe that they can help you in your struggles with worry, anxiety, and fear.
1. “But in the day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before you
and trust in you with all my heart. Psalm 56:3 (TPT)
2. “Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.” Philippians 4:6-7 (TPT)
3. “I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!” John 14:27 (TPT)
4. “For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (TPT)
5. “Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection. ” 1 John 4:18 (TPT)
6. “Whenever my busy thoughts were out of control, the soothing comfort of your presence calmed me down and overwhelmed me with delight.” Psalm 94:19 (TPT)
7. “Anxious fear brings depression, but a life-giving word of encouragement can do wonders to restore joy to the heart. Proverbs 12:25 (TPT)
I also want to share a Bible verse out of Psalm 23. Even if you don’t know much of the Bible, you’re probably familiar with Psalm 23. It’s been recited on the hit TV show, “ER”, and, in the movie, “Titanic”.
“Lord, even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have!
You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.” ~ Psalm 23:4 (TPT)
So there I was, on the roof, trying to convince myself that all I needed to do was swing my leg over the top of the ladder, and begin my descent. Well, after about 10 minutes, I did it. I got back down to the ground. And, let me tell you, when I touched the driveway, I wanted to kiss it. (And no, the siding still isn’t attached).
I can tell you this, no matter what you’re facing, God has your back! Whether it’s a fear of heights, snakes, or a virus, you do not need to be paralyzed. Don’t live in fear. But, take that first step of faith knowing that God has your back. And remember, fear is a liar!
Now, wash your hands. Go make a difference. And, Run By Faith.
TommyRunByFaith 