Why Are We All So Afraid?

Someone listen.

Please.

Anyone.

Why does it seem like everyone around me has their head in the sand?

Someone look up.

Look out.

Can we stop burying our heads in the sand?

There is a whole world out there.

Billions of humans.

Life to explore.

Questions to ask.

Answers to be found.

People to love.

Ways to grow.

Why can’t I go out there?

What happens if I step out of this cage?

What are we all so afraid of?

This God I have believed in?

My whole life.

The one I say loves deeper and wider and higher.

Beyond my understanding.

I’m to be afraid of him?

The one who created all of this.

Ok.

Perfect love drives us to fear, I guess.

It causes us to go inside.

Inside of our bubble.

Inside of ourselves.

Inside of our own little rooms.

Stay where it’s safe.

Only go out to tell others how they should be afraid too.

You can go out and risk it all to tell others to be afraid.

Sure, tell them God loves them.

If, and only if they fear him.

They too need to go inside of the bubble.

Spend more time with more afraid people.

Learn all about the darkness, the demons, the hell that is out there.

Learn how to stay away from it all.

Have nothing to do with it.

What exactly is it?

Well, all the things.

~ Be careful little eyes what you see.

Be careful little ears what you hear.

For the Father up above is looking down… in love? ~

That’s how the song went.

I know, right?

Sang it loud and proud as a kid.

And I was always on high alert.

Being careful.

Not at all carefree.

Careful.

Full of care.

Even though Jesus said to cast my cares on him.

How can I cast them on him and be full of them?

Oh, the irony.

And my brain would hurt.

Always trying to be good.

Trying to rest.

Working hard to rest.

How does one find rest for the soul?

By fearing God and working hard.

And being careful.

Stay in.

Watch your mouth.

Watch your thoughts.

Be good.

Behave.

Don’t listen to secular music.

Don’t go with guys who do.

Stay away from sin.

Run from it.

Flee.

But, rest.

But the whole world is going to Hell?

Right, but you aren’t.

So rest in the one who is sending everyone else to hell.

Oh, and make sure everyone out there knows how happy you are in here.

As a matter of fact?

Clap your hands.

~ Because if you’re happy and you know it?

Well then, your life will surely show it. ~

What if I’m not, though?

What if I’m actually anxious?

What if I struggle with depression?

What if I am scared?

Well now, you probably have a demon.

Yeah, that’s it.

All those prayers you’ve been praying.

All that time on your knees.

All the being careful.

Somehow, at some point, you let a demon slip in.

Something you watched on tv.

Something in your music.

Something you read, maybe.

Let’s go back and look at it all.

Ask for forgiveness for each and every song or book.

And if that doesn’t work?

Our people will pray over you.

Asking God to take out the dang demon.

No, it’s not possession.

It’s just a little demon.

Or maybe a legion of them.

Living on the inside of your mind.

In your soul.

Let’s just cast it out of ya.

And once it is gone?

Just be careful.

Don’t let the little guy back in.

And we will be careful to not let him jump on us as we pray for you.

They do that sometimes.

Wait, how will I know if it’s gone?

You won’t.

Well, maybe you will.

If you don’t fear anymore.

If you aren’t depressed anymore.

Then you’ll know.

But, wait one stinking minute.

All this “being careful” is what is making me anxious.

Fearing God is actually making me afraid.

Trying to be perfect.

Even when I’m trying to be perfect at confessing that I’m not.

And round and round I go.

And round and round we all go.

And at some point?

I just got done being dizzy.

It was time to take my head up out of the sand.

The swirling sand.

Oh, and guess what?

When I stopped being so careful?

When I stopped being so afraid of the demons?

When I started to live like I am loved?

When I started to live like everyone is loved?

The fear began to fall away.

I realized there is actually a sweet freedom.

Not in being afraid.

Simply in being loved.

Telling others they are loved.

With a love so big we can’t even grasp it.

Living loved.

Being loved.

Be loved.

See that?

Beloved.