I don’t care who you are or what front you put up for the world to see, I know something about you ………because it is true of everyone.

SOMETIMES YOU ARE AFRAID!

Everyone experiences fear.  It may be a fear of failure or a fear of loneliness.  It may be a fear of pain or sickness or death.  The world is cloaked with fear … the pandemic may have made it worse but it is not anything new.

It is not a weakness to be afraid.  It is what you do when you are afraid that matters.  You can hide and pretend.  You can close yourself off from people.  You can try to face it in your own strength but that is difficult.  So how can you conquer your fears, whatever they may be?

I know that the ways to fight fear are as varied as the fears themselves, but I am convinced that there is only one healthy way to fight back.  That is with the truth.

Often, when you look at a fear face-on, you will find it to be way out of proportion.  Sometimes thinking of the worst possible outcome can help, at least with little fears.  For instance, I remember once I was afraid of approaching someone lest I be rejected.  But when I reasoned it out, not approaching the person was accepting rejection anyway, so I really would not be any worse off if I was rebuffed, than if I did not try.  So for little fears it may help to ask yourself, ” What is the worst that could happen?”

But what about BIG fears?  Pain and sorrow do come to all of us.  Ahhhhh ……but there is a balm in Gilead!  Do you know that saying?  Have you ever heard it?  Gilead was a town on the eastern side of the Jordan River.  Balm is a soothing substance to heal a wound.

To find the right “balm” for any problem or wound or fear,  you need to consult the right physician.  It is easy to find advice about a cure, but not so easy to find wise advise.  That is where “truth” comes in.  You need to go the the right physician with your fears.  Go to the Great Physician.  The creator of something understands that something better than anyone else.  The Creator of YOU understands YOU better than anyone else, including yourself!  God has a “balm” for your fears, whatever they may be.

As a human physician, I realize that there are medicines that do help with anxiety.  They can get you through the day.  I prescribe them, am grateful for them, and do not think it is wrong to make use of them.  But for deeper healing, admit the problem and take it to God.  When fear starts to take over, it is time to take action.  Pray.  Study and read God’s word…..for long periods.  It will take time.  King David was full of fear, and many of the psalms that he penned are a great place to get help.  Ask God to reveal to you the underlying source of your problem.  It is often hard to figure that out on your own, but God understands perfectly the source of every problem.

And remember, regardless of how people act, you are not alone in your fears.  We have all been there.   We are not all honest in admitting it, but life is scary.  Any journey is much more frightful without a map and a plan.  It is scary to be lost.  So, when I am afraid, or lost, or out of control, I go to my God and am so thankful that, at least with Him, I can be honest.  He is near, whether you sense Him or not, and He is willing to help.  He is waiting for you to ask!

What do you think of when you think of St Patrick’s day?  Shamrocks?  Green beer? Christianity?

Saint Patrick was “The Apostle of Ireland,” but he was NOT Irish!  

His original birth name was Maewyn Succat and he grew up in Roman Britain.    At the age of 16 he was captured by Irish pirates. He was then transported to Ireland where he was sold as a slave, and forced to care for sheep for the next 6 years.

It was sometime during this 6 year period that Saint Patrick became a Christian.  His father had been a Christian and a deacon in the church, but Patrick, as a youth, had not been interested.  While tending sheep as a slave, however, he was often hungry.  Turning to God, he prayed often and toward the end of his 6th year had a dream where he was told a ship was waiting for him.  He walked to the east coast of Ireland, about 200 miles away, and found a ship bound for Britain and convinced the captain to take him aboard.  That is how, after 6 years, he was finally able to escape.

After landing in Britain, he and some others had been wandering in wilderness for close to a month.  Without food they were essentially starving.  St Patrick prayed for food and soon came upon a wild boar. Saved from death and able to continue his trek,  St Patrick was able, eventually, to reach his home and family.

Once he was back home, he studied and became a cleric.  Then another vision directed him back to Ireland.

Once back in Ireland, St Patrick began to preach.  Not welcomed on the mainland, he started on surrounding islands.  During this time St Patrick wrote“Every day there is the chance that I will be killed, or surrounded, or taken into slavery.”  People began to be converted to Christ and with time St Patrick was able to come to the mainland.  It is felt his congregation was about 100,000 people eventually.  He baptized 1000s and helped to form over 300 churches.

It is believed that Saint Patrick lived during the 5th century and that he died on March 17, 461.  Now, centuries later, we celebrate the date of his death. So, to everyone of any descent, Irish or not, I wish you a  very happy St Patrick’s Day!  

Don’t forget to wear green!

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