Doubt -> Fear
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:46 am
I recently heard a sermon on the connection between doubt and fear and thought I would post it because it really resonated with me. For one thing, it's nice to hear a sermon about how to deal with fear because it makes you realize that everyone deals with it. We're not just a group of weirdos, lol.
Anyway, our pastor was talking about fear and how we are to deal with it. His point was that doubt causes fear. So if you were able to not doubt, you wouldn't fear. The remedy then is not to deal with the fear; it's to attack the doubt by building up your faith. That made me realize how often I try to deal with the fear.
For instance if I'm planning on going out to eat with someone or something I might start worrying about having a panic attack while I'm in the restaurant or getting sick while I'm there. So that's the fear: feeling anxious and thinking I'll have to leave or I'll embarrass myself. And then I begin thinking about the fear and how I can deal with it. Maybe if I sit close to the bathroom. Maybe if I eat really light. Or if I go when the restaurant is not too busy. Etc. I make all of these plans on how to contain the fear when it comes up.
But I'm not dealing with the real problem; I'm paying attention to the symptoms instead of the cause. Why do I have that fear in the first place? I don't have enough faith. I haven't put my faith in God enough to know that He will see me through any and every situation. Things may not go as I want them to, but He will see me through and will work everything to good ultimately.
Anyway, this really helped me - realizing that by trying to plan for my fears I'm not making any progress and they will just keep coming up next time. Building my faith is the true fix. And this is just like all of the tapes say. Don't give those negative, scary thoughts any power. Feel the fear and do it anyway. This builds your faith and will make the next time better. If you're feeling fear then you've got doubt in your mind and that's the place to attack. Replace your doubt with faith and the fear will naturally be taken care of.
Anyway, our pastor was talking about fear and how we are to deal with it. His point was that doubt causes fear. So if you were able to not doubt, you wouldn't fear. The remedy then is not to deal with the fear; it's to attack the doubt by building up your faith. That made me realize how often I try to deal with the fear.
For instance if I'm planning on going out to eat with someone or something I might start worrying about having a panic attack while I'm in the restaurant or getting sick while I'm there. So that's the fear: feeling anxious and thinking I'll have to leave or I'll embarrass myself. And then I begin thinking about the fear and how I can deal with it. Maybe if I sit close to the bathroom. Maybe if I eat really light. Or if I go when the restaurant is not too busy. Etc. I make all of these plans on how to contain the fear when it comes up.
But I'm not dealing with the real problem; I'm paying attention to the symptoms instead of the cause. Why do I have that fear in the first place? I don't have enough faith. I haven't put my faith in God enough to know that He will see me through any and every situation. Things may not go as I want them to, but He will see me through and will work everything to good ultimately.
Anyway, this really helped me - realizing that by trying to plan for my fears I'm not making any progress and they will just keep coming up next time. Building my faith is the true fix. And this is just like all of the tapes say. Don't give those negative, scary thoughts any power. Feel the fear and do it anyway. This builds your faith and will make the next time better. If you're feeling fear then you've got doubt in your mind and that's the place to attack. Replace your doubt with faith and the fear will naturally be taken care of.