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Topic: Fearful (08/23/07)
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TITLE: Fearful - an Opaque Beacon | Previous Challenge Entry
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08/28/07 -
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Becoming fearful can be irrational. Some people are fearful of the dark. Being fearful of the dark occurs with children. I've never known a child who wasn't afraid of the dark at least one time in their life. This fear is irrational. Yet, even though we are adults some of us are still afraid of the dark. Many youngsters are fearful when Mommy leaves them for the first time at nursery school or kindergarten. Again, this fear is unfounded but there has been howling and wailing as if a great tragedy has just taken place. Being fearful can be irrational but hearing opinions and words from other people can also create fear.
Many people become fearful that the 13th of the month will be on a Friday. The saying goes, "If the 13th should fall on a Friday something terrible will happen." This is called superstition. Hearing people talk convincingly that an event will occur based on some irrational belief generates superstition. Superstition can be completely irrational but people will cling to it with all their might. Because the 13th has fallen on a Friday during a calendar month some people have not gone to work.
Being fearful stems from a belief. The belief can be irrational or rational. The only overriding circumstance is the belief. The stronger someone believes something than the more fearful the person can become. If someone thinks swimming in a pool is dangerous they will have a fear of swimming pools. However, if other people say swimming is wonderful and gradually introduces the person to the water that person can change their mind and overcome their fear.
Being fearful can be a good thing. I was always fearful I would grow up to be a failure if I didn't study extremely hard. The last thing I wanted was a failing mark on my report card. Being fearful of failing in school supplied me with the motivation to take copious notes and diligently pursue answers other might have given up on. My parents weren't always pleased with my grades but I found learning and becoming skilled a great asset in my quest for survival here on earth.
Being fearful can also be a motivator to help us stay away from sin. No one wants to spend eternity in hell. Preachers have used this pivotal point to get their congregation to repent. To get someone to repent takes strong words. The words must be powerful and spoken with conviction. However, if the words are not heeded our own experiences or experiences of others might cause us to repent. God's words are mighty, powerful, and true. We are fearful of a God that can raise the dead, but we are not lead to God by an awful dread. We are led because God's path provides protection for all.
Becoming fearful is a part of life. All of experience fear at some time in our lives. We can be motivated by fear or we can be traumatized by fear. We can be fearful to keep us safe from harm and we can become fearful over irrational beliefs. Our beacon is God, to praise him and worship him. We can have fears from childhood concerning the dark and as aged adults we have the ever-fearful nature of death.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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Just a small suggestion though: adding white space between paragraphs will make your articles easier to read. It will also aid you as a writer to make sure your thoughts are organized under each paragraph.
You have some great thoughts here. Keep writing!