If I asked you if you were a confrontational person, how would you respond? Do you admire confrontational people or flee from them? Are they helpful or hurtful? Most of us I think avoid conflict and confrontations at all cost, even if it means sacrificing our happiness and our better judgment as long at it keeps even a glimmer of a 'false peace'. Confrontations brings up feelings of anxiety, abuse and anger. Confrontations tend to be the "I'm-right-You're Wrong" or "I-win-You-lose" variety rather than the "help-me-to-understand" variety. But that's not what I'm talking about here. I'm not talking about attacking another person, but confronting our own behavior, even ruthlessly if necessary.
From the very beginning our lives have been plagued by our fears. I find that what most people do in the public, personal and private spheres of their lives is driven primarily by their need to escape their fears, real or imagined. Some people work incredible long hours at a job they hate because of their fear of want, fear of what others might say, and fear of rejection even from a boss they despise. People change their appearance, get costly and painful surgery and deny themselves good things from God in order to avoid being an outcast, and the fear of loneliness.
There has been a rise of a small group of fringe people who think they're bucking the systems, but they are not. There is a growing segment of the population that are into tatoos, body piercings, and odd lifestyle changes all in an attempt to be part of an avant garde group. Once again, our actions are driven by our need for approval and community, even if it is a only a fringe.
As disciples we must be confrontational with our own behavior and the fears that drive us while at the same time being compassionate and conciliatory with our brothers and sister who struggle with their own journey. We all have fears, because like Adam and Eve, we know that we're not perfect and we're hiding from God, from each other and even to some extent from ourselves what we've really done and who we really are. As a result, we remain handicapped by guilt and shame.
“Fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed” 1 John 4:18 (Msg)
In today's sermons we take on the fears that most people deal with and invite the reader to consider how God, knowing what's going on in our hearts and minds, offers us the choice to stand up and confront the negative voices that whisper self-destruction. Are you ready?
What fear drives most of your behavior?
What difference does it make feeling God's Presence when you're afraid?
What advice, if any, would you recommend to someone who's crippled by fear, right now?
Sermon Audio:
Sermon Notes: Sermon Notes 03.03.13 Confronting Fear
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“What advice, if any, would you recommend to someone who’s crippled by fear, right now?”
Perhaps, your question is more about that which is implied in your asking of the question rather than in the actual answering of it by citing specific fears and specific suggestions for overcoming those specified fears.
Perhaps, your asking your question is really more about asking us if, as you discussed in your sermon, we are willing to serve God as “confrontational disciples”…if we are willing to “love our neighbor as ourselves” by choosing to tell the person, filled with fears, the truth, even though that truth, in all likelihood, will hurt and could destroy a friendship.
Perhaps, your asking your question is really more about asking us if, when given a choice, we would choose to be like Christ, Who during His ministry chose to be both confrontational and revolutionary in His encounters with His “neighbors, His brothers and sisters” for the sake of their eternal life as well as the eternal life of all those who would eventually read about and learn from the tough truths He taught.
Perhaps, your asking your question is really more about asking us what advice might we offer ourselves in order for us to overcome the myriad of fears that cripple us; for I believe, as the Bible tells us, we need to “remove the mote from our own eye before we attempt to remove the log from someone else’s eye.”
…so…what advice would I give myself in order to be able to live with my fears?
1.
Obviously, we have to care enough about the person with the fears to choose to help him or her. Christ cared about everyone whom He met, cared enough about all to love them with the truth, cared enough about all that from the cross He uttered the words, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” And, of course, consider the parable of the Good Samaritan. What fears plagued the priest and the Levi that did not cripple the Samaritan? What freedom existed within the Samaritan that enabled him, unlike the other two men, to take a leap of faith and help because help was needed, because love and mercy were needed?
Along with choosing to care in order to help someone crippled with fears comes the need to listen as the person talks rather than believing that you have all the answers
To anyone who chooses to read the #1 Comment, I apologize; I accidentally hit the “Post Comment” button and published it before it was finished; the finished response follows.
“What advice, if any, would you recommend to someone who’s crippled by fear, right now?”
Perhaps, your question is more about that which is implied in your asking of the question rather than in the actual answering of it by citing specific fears and specific suggestions for overcoming those specified fears.
Perhaps, your asking your question is really more about asking us if, as you discussed in your sermon, we are willing to serve God as “confrontational disciples”…if we are willing to “love our neighbor as ourselves” by choosing to tell the person, filled with fears, the truth, even though that truth, in all likelihood, will hurt and could destroy a friendship.
Perhaps, your asking your question is really more about asking us if, when given a choice, we would choose to be like Christ, Who during His ministry chose to be both confrontational and revolutionary in His encounters with His “neighbors, His brothers and sisters” for the sake of their eternal life as well as the eternal life of all those who would eventually read about and learn from the tough truths He taught.
Perhaps, your asking your question is really more about asking us what advice might we offer ourselves in order for us to overcome the myriad of fears that cripple us; for I believe, as the Bible tells us, we need to “remove the mote from our own eye before we attempt to remove the log from someone else’s eye.”
…so…what advice would I give myself in order to be able to live with my fears?
1. Be honest with myself — admit that I have fears and identify them, for only in accepting and identifying my fears can I battle them by naming them to God asking Him to deal with them for me while admitting to Him that I can’t …only He can.
2. Be vulnerable — seek help and in the seeking of help, especially from God, be open and willing to discover and hear the truth, no matter how much it hurts in order to grow closer in relationship with God and to become more holy as God intends for each of us to do and to be.
3. Give myself permission to be human — acknowledge the fact that fears and guilt occur in all human beings compliments of the Fall; there’s nothing we can do to stop and/or prevent them, only God can, only God will if we choose to ask.
4. Forgive myself for being human — don’t use that as an enabling excuse but rather as a reason to ask God for help and as an opportunity to praise Him and to be grateful for His sacrificing of His Son to die for our sins.
5. Abide in His Word — study the Bible to be familiar with and find strength and hope in His promises and to learn and grown from the stories and the experiences of people “just like us” that are written and shared within.
6. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all else will be given to you,” especially His unconditional grace and His “peace that passeth all understanding.”
“What advice would I give someone who is crippled by fear right now?”
The same advice I give myself.