PREPARATION

Fear is inescapable. It's a necessary part of our faith DNA. Some of the  pervasive symptoms: polarization of viewpoints, tightening of controls, reduction of travel, distrust of authority, unwillingness to risk, higher levels of criticism, cynicism, pessimissim.  
 
Fear is one of the earliest emotions, and learning to deal with it is one of a child's earliest lessons. It requires the involvement of understanding and supportive adults who help the children realize that it's not a bad thing to be afraid, and that it's a good thing to talk about it.
 
In fact, learning to deal with fear is a life lesson for adults, too. There are too many adults still carrying around childhood fears. If these fearful adults don't get help, they will never experience courageous faith.
 
A number of faith-related traits find their ignition point in fear. Concepts like risk, adventure, trust, and courage all use fear as a launching pad. When Jesus asked his disciplines about their fear, it was a much deeper question than, "Are you afraid of that?" It was "why are you still living with this fear? There is so much more, if you will just turn loose and trust me."
 
Central to our faith is the belief that Jesus is "with us always." We are never alone. He's bigger than all our fears, but we can still live with them if we choose. It's really exhausting and eventually boring to hang on to our fears. And, it limits our faith.

INSPIRATION 

I was so proud of her. She was the top swimmer in her group. It was intensely personal for me: I was so afraid of the water when I was her age. I had to be rescued during my swimming test and the fear of getting in water over my head stayed with me till high school. It was then that I joined the swim team and eventually become a life guard.
 
Parents are crowded around the pool with cameras poised. It was TEST day, that day I had failed so miserably. The instructor called her name, "Julie Rose!"
 
"Here we go, she'll show everyone how it's done," but not on that day. Julie just stood there. Her name was called again, and this time she began crying, screaming actually, "No, I'm not doing it. No, No!"
 
After what felt like 4 hours of moans, she walked over to the wall and sat down.
 
How could this be happening? Yesterday, in practice, she was the only one who did it. Could it be a defective "swimming test" gene that she inherited from me?
 
When class was over, I cautiously walked over and picked up her bag and grabbed her towel. Head down, she took the towel; we made our way to the car. Once inside I said, "Wow, what was happening out there?"
 
She looked up, eyes still red from the tears, &quotad, she said she would be in the deep water. She wasn't in the water at all. If she would have been in the water I would have been fine... she said she would be there. She wasn't there."
 
That information changed everything.
 
Next day was the final test and demonstration for the parents. We got there early enough for me to have a short talk with the teacher. Before I finished my well-rehearsed sentence, she gasps, "Oh, I so worry, Julie is exactly right. That's what I told them all. I'll be in the water this time."
 
She was, and Julie was the star. I forgot the defective gene thing.

MOTIVATION

Jesus is always in the deep. Trust him.
 
Ask a friend to lunch this week and begin your conversation by confessing a childhood fear. Tell about what has happened to that fear as you have grown older and what happened to help you deal with it. If someone helped you, share who it was.
 
Ask, "How about you?"
 
Before you leave, name a fear you still own and ask your friend to pray for you. Ask God to help you get the information you need to deal with the fear.
 
Then during the week, look for someone to ask, "Wow, what was happening out there?"