ON THE POWER OVER FEAR..... June 2, 2012

Fear has a way of crippling us.  Anyone who has experienced any type of anxiety or panic disorder will understand what I mean.  The strange thing is that God made us all with a built in system to protect ourselves from danger. As a baby we all had a fear of falling and of loud noises.  That was placed there by God so we wouldn’t be walking off the edge of a cliff without any sense of the consequences.  The problem is when fear is uncontrolled and misguided and many things you do causes an overload of caution to the point where unrealistic reasoning debilitates you. Someone explained fear with an acronym definition of F.E.A.R. that goes like this; False Evidence Appearing Real.  And the really sad part of that is that there are those who have never experienced anxiety or panic disorder and simply cannot comprehend how or why a person would have such a problem.  It therefore can become the brunt of jokes and often an opportunity to have a little fun at the expense of people who suffer. I have always tried to be sympathetic with people who suffer with anxiety or panic disorder. Here’s why...

From the time I was just a snotty nosed brat I have been afraid of needles. And I know there is someone out there right now that is saying.... “Steve is scared of everything!” But I know that you know that’s not true!!

I was in the fourth grade in Black’s Harbour, New Brunswick sitting in Mr. Dillan’s geography class. As I sat at my desk, all of a sudden I saw this 'white figure' pass by the classroom door. I didn’t really see who or what it was. All I know is that it was white top to bottom and moved swiftly by the door. My heart skipped a beat as I began to reason in my mind, “That had to have been the SCHOOL NURSE!” As I sat there it was like time stood still but my mind went “full tilt” into panic mode! “That was a NURSE! A school NURSE! Nobody told us there would be a NURSE at school today! Today must be needle day! Why would anyone else wear all white? It had to be THE NURSE!” 

My hands and feet began to sweat! I could hear my heart beat like the sound of a bass drum beating in my head at 200 beats per minute. My vision blurred momentarity! My mouth became so dry that my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. Then my ear’s popped like I was climbing up Mount Everest! All of a sudden my left arm went straight UP!  Mr. Dillan said, “Yes Steve, what is it?” I mumbled incoherent words, “f..f..funibia blenichi chupany!” and Mr. Dillan said, “HUH? What was that? I can’t understand you Steve!” So I tried again and this time it came out right, “I have to go to the washroom, may I be excused?” He said, “Yes, but hurry back!”  I stood to my feet, walked over to the door, stuck my head out and looked both ways and saw no one! As I turned to walk down the hall toward the glass doors I shifted into overdrive, hit the crash bar on the door and by the time my feet hit the bottom step I was running at full speed faster than a speeding bullet! I ran all the way home without looking back. My brain was saying, “There may be someone getting a needle at school today but it’s surely not gonna be ME!  As I reached the parsonage and walked through the door, there was mom standing at the kitchen sink.  She said, “Why are you back home?”  I said, “I don’t feel well.”  She said, “Well, go into your room and lay down for awhile and maybe it will pass.” Suddenly, as I lay down on my bed my heart came back to normal and I began to relax in the safety of my home.  It wasn’t but about four minutes later that I heard dad drive into the driveway. I heard the car door close and I heard his footsteps come into the house.  He said to mom, “Wasn’t that Steve I just saw running up the lane?” She said, “Yes, he’s in his room. He said he doesn’t feel well.” Then Dad said, “Well, get him into the bath tub and get him cleaned up and I’ll take him down to the Hospital Emergency and we’ll get a DOCTOR to find out what’s wrong with him!”  All of a sudden, my mind went “full tilt” into panic mode AGAIN! This time my hands and feet and behind my ears began to sweat! This time I could hear my heart beat and it was cruising at 400 beats per minute. And all of a sudden my body sat straight UP!  I walked swiftly and directly to the front door. I didn’t look to the left or the right.  And by the time my feet hit the bottom step I was floatin’!

I ran as fast as I could down the lane. I decided I was probably better off at school! At least there was no operating table there! Just before I reached the school yard a car pulled up beside me with the window down. I heard my dad say, “STEVE!....STEVE!....STOP!  WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING!” With that I turned to my dad and began to bawl like a baby!  I told him what was going on in my head. He said, “Get in son...It’s gonna be okay! You’re not getting a needle and I’m not taking you to emergency!”  Thank God I had a dad who understood!!    I found out later that there was no nurse at the school after all....so it must have been that cafeteria lady!

I said all that to say this, “You may be suffering from some kind of fear today. Maybe some bad news has rocked your little world and caused you to feel that awful anxiety. Perhaps your mind is racing and you are thinking only the worst.  Here’s what to do......STOP and GET IN! Your Daddy’s here!  He will help and protect you today if you just turn it all over to Him.  He really understands!”  SRR

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  2 Timothy 1:7