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<\/a>Many of us are seeking transformation in ourselves or various aspects of our lives. The self-help and therapeutic book industry has grown into a multi-million, even billion-dollar market. Thousands of articles, coaches, and guides promise to help us become the version of ourselves we\u2019ve envisioned. While we can learn to adapt, true transformation always comes from something beyond ourselves.<\/p>\n
This blog explores the call to pursue leading a quiet life<\/a>, as outlined in 1 Thessalonians 4:11<\/a>. In our pursuit of a quieter, more intentional life, it\u2019s important to remember what truly gives our lives meaning and drives our transformation. While the world often encourages constant striving towards a better you, the quiet life invites us to focus on the way of the Kingdom. True transformation, as we\u2019ll explore, is not merely about self-improvement but about aligning our lives with something greater than ourselves, which brings lasting change and purpose.<\/p>\n In an article in the <\/span>Harvard Business Review<\/span><\/i><\/a>, Matt Higgins<\/a> writes, <\/span>\u201cYou can turn your fear into the fire that can change your life.\u201d<\/span><\/i> The article focuses on how our fears, rather than being a force that holds us back from the abundance of life, can be skillfully retooled to propel us bravely forward. From a human-centered philosophical perspective, Higgins outlines four ways\u2014drawn from his research and life experiences\u2014that he believes can transform fear from a source of powerlessness into a catalyst for growth in our lives, pushing us to the next level or toward new opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n Higgins\u2019 encouraging words have their merit and impact. Certainly, it was fodder for some conversations within areas of my life that I think the unknown keeps me from stepping out. However, from his thoughtful article, there was that one line that resonated with me\u2014<\/span>\u201cYou can turn your fear into the fire that can change your life.\u201d<\/span><\/i> From a motivational and self-help standpoint, it\u2019s a statement of empowerment and liberation, it is a hopeful expression that tells me I can manifest my own better way forward and destiny. Statements like this are rooted in the belief that we have within us what it takes to break free from hindrances and become the people we aspire to be. It is a part of the rise of therapeutic psychology which is focused almost religiously on the cure of minds through thoughts and patterns of thinking. Therapeutic psychology has its place in our patterned behavior and its resolve offers aspects of our lives some hope \u2013 but it is limited and it addresses some of our problems from a liminal space.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Even with the best tools and tactics, few people can truly redefine themselves through sheer willpower alone. Neuroplasticity is possible at some levels, which overly simplified could be seen as a cure of the mind through the development of new thoughts and patterns of thinking. The Roman philosopher Cicero<\/a> (106\u201343 B.C.), who himself could be described as an early humanist, once remarked that a soul in distress cannot heal itself by its own means but requires the instruction and guidance of a doctor \u2013 the philosophy of those who are wiser and healthier. That is a significant admission for Cicero, who believed like with much of modern therapy that the Stoics were right in saying that healing is found in truly learning \u201cto know ourselves\u201d (<\/span>De Legibus<\/span><\/i>). However, Cicero also seemingly saw the limitations of this approach. In <\/span>Tusculan Disputations<\/span><\/i>, Cicero believes that just \u201cas a diseased body needs the aid of medicine\u201d the \u201cdistressed soul require[s] philosophy\u201d from the guidance and wisdom of others. Adaptation is what one may achieve on their own power, and there is time and place for that, but I believe transformation can only be done by a \u201cshaping force\u201d from outside ourselves. We have to admit that as embodied souls and inspirited bodies, the greatest transformation and healing for our soul (the whole person who is defined by the inner life) comes from outside ourselves not from a power or force mustered from within.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Through the prophet Ezekiel, God promises a people who could no longer go it alone that it was he alone who would gather them from the nations, bring them into the redeemed land, and give them a transformed purity, along with a new heart and spirit (Ezekiel 36:24-26<\/a>, NET). Time and time again throughout the First (Old) Testament, humanity is capable of finding themselves in trouble but unable to bring their own reconciliation or restoration about. This is part of the gospel story that is interwoven throughout the scriptures. Reconciliation and restoration is the divine business that God is in alone, according to David\u2019s own confession. David was a man who spent his days trying to pursue God\u2019s heart (Acts 13:22<\/a>). David writes that it is God who \u201cheals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds\u201d (Psalm 147:3<\/a>, NET).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Paul tells the church in Rome, a church discipled by a pagan and materialistic culture that they would find transformation in their lives by not being \u201cconformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God \u2013 what is good and well-pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2<\/a>, NET). This verse has been used in the justification of therapeutic adaptation forms, and there is some impetus for that. However, theologically we cannot forget the verse before it that tells us where the power of transformation is rooted in and comes from. It comes through confession and submission. It is in the beginning of that scripture, that Paul tells them that we are transformed in the renewing of our world when we \u201cpresent [our] bodies as a sacrifice \u2013 alive, holy, and pleasing to God\u201d (Romans 12:1<\/a>, NET). The verse after that warns us that what keeps us trapped in patterns is when we \u201cthink more highly of yourself than you ought to think\u201d (Romans 12:3<\/a>, NET). It is important that new habits, patterns, and practices are incorporated into soul care, used to adapt unwanted behaviors and to help us live good lives, but they won\u2019t lead to transformation, the transformation has to come from elsewhere \u2013 from an eternal and external source.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I do agree with Matt Higgins<\/a> though, <\/span>\u201cYou can turn your fear into the fire that can change your life.\u201d <\/span><\/i>I just think the fear that becomes a fire in our lives is rooted in a different place than sheer willpower and desire for change. I think we can adapt to our fears, we can medicate them, and we can reason with them, but we on our own power cannot transform them. I believe that the scriptures also testify to the transformative reality of fear \u2013 in more ways than one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First, the scriptures show that you can turn your fear into a fire that immobilizes and imprisons us. A quick look at the story of the Israelites refusing to take hold of the land of promise in Numbers 13:31-33<\/a> is a great example of this. In Proverbs, we are reminded that \u201cthe fear of people becomes a snare\u201d but it doesn\u2019t stop there, it says, \u201cbut the one who trusts in the Lord will be protected\u2019 (Proverbs 29:25<\/a>, NET). Likewise, one of the Greek words for fear in the New Testament is <\/span>phobos<\/span><\/i> (\u03c6\u03cc\u03b2\u03bf\u03c2<\/a>). It is found in Matthew 14:26<\/a>, Matthew 28:8<\/a>, Mark 4:41<\/a>, Luke 1:12<\/a> \u2013 and many other places. This sort of fear is often used to describe a fear that becomes crippling. It is terror. Phobos is that fight, flight, and freeze alarm that will keep us immobilized and imprisoned. The Greco-Roman world was ruled by a \u201cphobos\u201d of their gods, natural phenomena, and military threats and that kept them trapped in a way of life \u2013 immobilized and imprisoned. The disciples are affected by this fear from time to time, but in those stories, at the end of their ropes and power, but take note in those stories that it is only Jesus who can offer them a way out. As the Proverb I mentioned earlier says, \u201cthe fear of people becomes a snare, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be protected\u2019 (Proverbs 29:25<\/a>, NET). The deliverance (transformation) comes from the Lord, an external and eternal source.<\/span><\/p>\n Second, the scriptures convey a promise that fear can benefit us. In this way, fear can be turned into a fire that changes our lives. Proverbs, written by Solomon (David\u2019s son), followed a mid-eastern tradition of gathering pithy and wise statements. However, Solomon\u2019s Proverbs help us to see what wise living by God\u2019s transformative power looks like in all matters of our personal conduct and daily lives. The book of Proverbs starts by declaring the intent behind his collection of statements, which include helping his readers (and perhaps his own family):\u00a0 \u201cto learn wisdom and moral instruction, to discern wise counsel. To receive moral instruction in skillful living, with righteousness, justice, and equity\u201d (Proverbs 1:1-3<\/a>, NET). From the start, Solomon declares these pithy statements are external philosophy meant to shape the journey of one\u2019s transformation because on our own we cannot do it by ourselves \u2013 we need the transformative power of God outlined in these Proverbs and the Proverbs themselves (the wisdom of others) to bring about transformation. Solomon then roots the reader in a confession that says true wisdom and transformative living come from outside of ourselves by saying, \u201cF<\/span>earing the Lord is the beginning of discernment, but fools have despised wisdom and moral instruction\u201d (Proverbs 1:7<\/a>, NET).<\/span><\/p>\n In this Proverb, transformation is a result of wisdom, which is a gift from God alone. In his commentary on the Proverbs, Scholar Derek Kidner<\/a> mentions that wisdom (transformation) does not come merely from \u201ca right method of thought but a right relation.\u201d<\/span> That relationship is defined by \u201cworshipping submission (fear) to the God of the covenant, who has revealed himself by name.\u201d<\/span> Kenneth Kitchen<\/a> remarks, that this Proverb reveals that real wisdom, true wisdom, the kind of wisdom that transforms starts \u201cmust start with God\u201d alone \u2013 but he also calls it an \u201cessential foundation\u201d that we can neglect or reject.<\/span> Too often these good therapeutic practices have only answered or addressed part of the problem, they have neglected or rejected, that the essential foundation of transformed behavior is found in the essential foundation of a right relation, a worshipful submission to the God who has revealed himself by character and name. The wisdom needed to change our lives \u201ccomes from God, and whoever fears [God] receives it\u201d and you receive it only through the \u201creverential subordination to the All-directing\u2026to the One God, the Creator and Governor of the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In the way standing on the sand and getting lost starting at the ocean has a way of putting life into perspective, the essential foundation of the worshipful awe and fear of the Lord puts the rest of our life into perspective, from our fear to our bad habits. In submission and surrender, our brokenness meets a transformative agent when we see the fear of the Lord as the starting point for understanding life rightly and gaining new ways of being \u2013 renewed senses of our mind and behavior. Transformation is always rooted in something outside of us, in something eternal and divine, that alone has the power to change (not adapt) our souls \u2013 spirit and body.<\/span><\/p>\n When we are facing something in our lives, the first step in wisdom is recognizing that our capacity to see the world clearly, make good decisions, and grow in understanding comes from submitting to a worshipful reverence of God and waiting for God\u2019s guidance. Without this foundation, we are left to navigate life on our own, often making misguided choices. We may be able to adapt, but those who adopt a therapeutically driven \u201cgo it alone\u201d or \u201cdo it yourself\u201d approach far too often don\u2019t incorporate our soul care at the center. The scriptures tell us that it starts and ends here. The idea that all we need to succeed lies within us and that we don\u2019t need outside guidance or wisdom \u2013 a mindset popular in today\u2019s self-help culture \u2013 can ultimately leave us stuck in our limitations, unable to fully transform and grow.<\/span><\/p>\n This truth is embedded throughout the scriptures \u2013 from the First to the New Testament. I offer three takeaways on finding transformation in our lives following an up\/in\/out rhythm:<\/span><\/p>\n Do not think that I don\u2019t recognize the value of therapeutic psychology and the importance of therapy in supporting mental and emotional well-being. I have utilized forms of the above, referred people, and continue to explore resources that come from the therapeutic world. The concern for followers of Jesus lies in how easily faith can be overshadowed by a culture that prioritizes self-optimization over spiritual formation. Being formed in the image of Christ is at the core of our faith. Though, I do not dismiss therapy or distrust its practitioners \u2013 I believe that true healing and wholeness come from a deeper integration of faith, prayer, and community alongside professional care. My hope is not to reject modern psychology but to ensure that our pursuit of personal growth does not replace the transformative work of Christ in our lives. The scriptures remind us how we are created, and what brings transformation about in our lives. As Proverbs 1:7 reads in The Message, \u201cStart with God\u2014the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.\u201d Fear can change our lives. But the question is not simply whether we can turn our fear into fire, but rather it is about what kind of fire it becomes. Will it be a self-lit fire that leaves us exhausted, striving on our own strength? Or, will the fear and fire that directs your life be the refining fire of God\u2019s transformative presence, shaping us into the people we were created to be?<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m always interested in a good conversation or a cup of coffee. Let\u2019s connect! I love hearing others\u2019 stories and sharing my own while finding ways to support others on their journey. Feel free to reach out to me via\u00a0email<\/a> \u2014I\u2019d love to hear from you. You can also connect with me through Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0Bluesky<\/a>,\u00a0X<\/a>,\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>,\u00a0Threads<\/a>, and\/or\u00a0YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n The NET Bible (New English Translation) is a translation of the Bible with 60,932 translators\u2019 notes! It was completed by more than 25 scholars \u2013 experts in the original biblical languages \u2013 who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. I invite you to\u00a0learn more<\/a>\u00a0about it, discover their\u00a0resources<\/a>, read it\u00a0online<\/a>,\u00a0download<\/a>\u00a0it for free,\u00a0purchase<\/a>\u00a0it, and use their\u00a0online bible study software<\/a>\u00a0(don\u2019t forget their iPhone\u00a0app<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many of us are seeking transformation in ourselves or various aspects of our lives. The self-help and therapeutic book industry has grown into a multi-million, even billion-dollar market. Thousands of articles, coaches, and guides promise to help us become the version of ourselves we\u2019ve envisioned. While we can learn to adapt, true transformation always comes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5369,"featured_media":1619,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,1],"tags":[98,92,101,221],"class_list":["post-1616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lead-a-quiet-life-as-resistance","category-uncategorized","tag-evangelical","tag-forgiveness","tag-general-christian","tag-lead-a-quiet-life"],"yoast_head":"\nYou Can Turn Your Fear Into The Fire That Can Change Your Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n
We May Adapt but Transformation is Different<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Scriptures Outline The Source of Transformation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Fear Can Change Your Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Three Takeaways<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Closing Remarks<\/strong><\/h2>\n