I thought I'd share with you the following fun fact (taken from The Book of Lists by David Wallechinsky and Amy Wallace):

The top ten human fears, in reverse order, are:

10. Dogs
9. Loneliness
8. Flying
7. Death
6. Sickness
5. Deep water
4. Financial problems
3. Insects and bugs
2. Heights
1. Speaking before a group

I don't have all of these fears. I'm sure many of you don't either. Yet, I nodded and agreed with several of them as I read down this list:

• I have my frequent bouts with fear of bugs, yet never as often as when living on the coast.

• Loneliness has been a continual companion in seasons of my life. I don't fear it in the same way as when I was younger. It drives me to lean on Jesus more.
• Financial issues probably strike a chord of fear in my heart unlike any other. Yet, here, too, I am learning to cast my cares more frequently on Him and watch Him provide for me in ways I often can't comprehend.
• Death has been at the forefront of my mind in the past few weeks, and I have wrestled in the recesses of my own thoughts as to whether it scares me or not. At times I find peace in knowing I will be with my Father in heaven, and at others I quake inside over leaving all I know to be real in the here and now.
  

I guess what I am trying to communicate here is that we all share fears that can cripple us, render us immobile for a period of time, or crush us if we allow them to do so.

My prayer for all of us who share these common fears is that we take them to Jesus, leave them at His feet, and walk on throughout each day unencumbered by them. I pray we can live moment by moment "Without Fear" remembering the truth of God's Word:


FEAR=False Evidence Appearing Real

Labels: brave, fearless friday, God's Word, truth