Question: What are the Great Fears?
- Published
- in Fear
What are the great fears?
I am interested in your response to this question.
Consider the following:
- What do you sense from your friends? What do they really fear?
- What do you hear through the media that might cause one to fear?
- What are some of the great fears that people have in general?
Today, I was at lunch with a group of friends. One observed that so many people are anxious today. Unsure. Uncertain. Uneasy.
I would love to hear your thoughts regarding fear and what you are observing.
About the only thing I fear is striking out and doing something different from what I’m currently doing; attempting to make a go of either full-time ministry or teaching. I look at others and envy their spirit of adventure and humility to try different things without having all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed. Whereas I’m more of a methodical person, wanting to make sure that I’m fully prepared before I do something. But, I’ve also learned that many times I am prepared, I’m just scared. At other times, we have to realize that more learning will come as we strike out and make a go of something. We can’t sit back and wait ’til we know everything before we do something. We’ll never know it all.
I would say others around me fear losing their jobs or making a move and leaving their current job even though they’re miserable. Some, like my father, fear not having enough money or food although the Lord has provided for them all their life.
In general, I think most people fear a lack of security in their lives, whether that’s the perceived security of a job or health insurance. Our church is in the midst of a pastoral search and some people are anxious about what our future holds which mystifies me because the Church of Jesus Christ will go on whether we find a pastor sooner rather than later. But this situation points out to me what we really put our faith in and some people obviously find the lack of a pastor scary.
Others that I know are dealing with the real fear of a diagnosis or negative prognosis and the impending downward spiral of their health.
Pat, this is such a wonderful response to these questions. Your first paragraph is interesting and it may be because I relate to what you are saying in a few areas. On one occasion, I was talking with my wife about a friend who had just been hired for a new job. I was happy for him. In the conversation, I told Charlotte that I would never do that (“that” referring to the job my friend had just accepted.) I went on to say that I did not know where to even begin.
Charlotte told me that I was capable and that I was underestimating myself. “How much more do you need to know? You certainly know as much about this, if not more than your friend!”
This was more than encouragement on her part. I think that she had recognized that I was hesitating about a job that in her view, I was very much qualified for. I wanted to be prepared but apparently, I was using that to hide behind. You may or may not relate to this. Just remembering. . .
Abandonment.
Embarrassment.
Pain.
Death.
Hi Nick, the last two occurred to me, the first two didn’t. So true regarding abandonment and embarrassment.
GREAT, provocative questions! Lack of security is the number one fear I hear from others. With the personal realities of our economy – businesses closing, houses foreclosed, unemployment, reduction in income – many people I know who used to “have it made” are really searching for answers and a place to set their feet. The instability and conflict in world affairs and politically only adds to the paranoia.
For myself, I fear not being close enough with God. That I will miss his best because I went a direction on my own without Him. I struggle to have assurance that I am hearing Him clearly.
The blessing of our times is more souls are looking for answers, so their hearts are more prepared to receive the message we were entrusted to share.
It seems that for most in my age group, it has to do with security issues. Will I have enough money to live on after I retire? Will I continue to be productive? Will I maintain health and be able to take care of myself or will I at some time be dependent on others? Will I end up alone? I sometimes hear these kinds of things spoken by my friends, but more often observe behaviors that betray these underlying fears. And, yes, I have these fears, too, and they could become disabling if I didn’t have a relationship with the Source of all good things!
Wonderful, wonderful response, Connie. Great questions! You are right. These fears can become disabling without a relationship with God the provider.
I’m reading Real Life by Dr. Phil, subtitled the seven most challenging days of your life. One of those days, he says, is when you realize you haven’t lived your life, but the life others wanted you to live, out of fear of failure or not being accepted. Another of those days is when you realize you are way in over your head and you feel you are not able to handle life anymore. In a marriage, when one is going through the one ordeal and the other is going through the other, it’s definitely challenging.
Darryl, thanks for this. I have not read this book but it sounds very interesting. I could park right now and just reflect on what he says about these various days.