Friday, September 15, 2017

Facing the Fear /// A Misdiagnosis Conclusion

Yes, we're here. We've finally reached the end of our journey. It is time to meet the final foe with courage if we wish to continue. Otherwise, we shall remain forever here.

A bit dramatic, I know, but it's true. Should we choose to leave fear to its own devices, we'll never be able to get anywhere in life.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's do a quick recap of the first two posts. In  A Misdiagnosis, I talked about how, when we deal with doubt in our writing, we label it as writer's block. When we do so, we don't treat it properly. Recognizing that we misdiagnose doubt is the first step to stopping it. In Swarm of Doubt, I went over three of the biggest doubts we face as authors: that we're not good enough, that no one will want to read our stories, and that we'll never get published. To identify the enemy is key, because then we know how to take it down.

In the last post, we uncovered that doubt has a power source known as fear. So how do we take on fear to ensure that our writing journey continues and doesn't come to a complete standstill? Let's find out together.

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Fear has been around for a long, long time, and to best it, we need to go a source just as old--older, even. That, of course, would be the Bible. When I was thinking about this post, one verse kept swirling in my mind: "Love will never invoke fear. Perfect love expels fear . . ." (1 John 4:18, The Voice)

Could it be so obvious? So simple? I believe it is. The way to break past fear is to know just how much you are loved by God.

Think of it this way. When you were younger, you had irrational fears: fear of the dark, of monsters lurking in your bedroom, of thunder. What did you do in those times when the fright was the strongest? You probably ran to your parents. Maybe they hugged you for a while. Maybe they whispered reassuring words in your ear. Whatever the case, those bad feelings would slip away when you were with your parents. Why then? Why not earlier?

Because you were reminded that you were loved.

God's the same way. When we deal with the crud life throws at us, whether it be worries about our family or career or education, we turn to Him. Maybe not right away, but we do. And when we fall into His embrace, knowing that we're loved and never alone, the fear dies. We trust that God will see us through.

That is the key. We know that God loves us and will look after us. We believe that everything will work out in the end. When we trust Him, we know He considers us more than good enough. We know that He gave us our writing gift, and because of that, our stories will get published, and people will read them.

Do you know just how incredibly much God loves you? The One who fashioned countless galaxies, who invented DNA, who designed the water cycle, who cared about the minute details of all living creatures . . . loves you. With a love so huge we can't even fully comprehend it. Know this love, and you will know peace.

To conclude, I'd like to quote Ambrose Bierce, who said, "A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it." These words are so true. Doubt is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you believe it's true, it will be true. Don't fall for the lies. Believe you're immensely loved. Trust that the future is a good one.

Face the fear.

Fell the giant.

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And that's the end of it. What did you guys think of this series as a whole? Should I do more of these inspirational posts/series in the future? What about this particular post? Any thoughts?

6 comments:

  1. Beautiful conclusion to a thought-provoking series! I think this might be my favorite of the three. :)

    It's so true that we as children run to a source of love when we're afraid. I'd never though of it like that. And THAT QUOTE IS GOLDEN. WOW.

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    1. Thank you, sis. If it incited some thinking, then I accomplished what I had hoped to do. I would agree with that sentiment. This one did turn out the best. ^_^

      I hadn't either, until I was brainstorming this post. I know, right? I need to have it up on my wall or something.

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  2. This was so beautiful and encouraging! Your example of a child running to their parent for comfort touched me. It's so true that LOVE dispels the fear. Especially GOD'S LOVE. How *can* we be in fear when the very Creator of the Universe loves us and wants the best for us? It just...takes my breath away every time I think about it.

    And my goodness, that quote! That's a life changing quote right there. o.o

    Thank you so very much for this post and the whole series! It was such an encouragement and eye-opener!

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    1. It is a poignant image, I think, and one we can relate to. Indeed! When we know we're loved, that takes the wind right out of fear's sails, because then we're not afraid of failing, or making mistakes, or anything. We know that God's love for us will never change, and He'll help us do or become better. It does that for me too.

      I'm glad I found it, because it's definitely one I want to remember. :)

      You're most welcome! I'm happy that you found it helpful. ^_^

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  3. Wonderful conclusion. :) Remembering just how much God loves us paints such a powerful picture. I'm convicted! Because if that's the case, then I shouldn't feel fear or doubt. It should all be replaced with love and courage that can only come from God! Thank you for this lovely series! ^_^

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    1. Thank you! It does. I think we should all take more time just meditating on the fact that the universe's Creator, who has existed and will exist without end, loves us unconditionally. You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :D

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