Fear: The Silent Crippler
Fear is a silent crippler. It creeps in unnoticed, tightening its grip before we realise we are caught. It whispers doubt, sows hesitation, and persuades us that moving forward is riskier than staying put. But staying put is just another way of falling behind — life doesn’t pause. So, should you have taken that step?
In the quiet theatre of the human soul, fear often steps onto the stage uninvited — a choreographer of hesitation, distorting our choices with its rhythm. It murmurs through the corridors of potential like a cold wind, turning elegant melodies into whispers and possibilities into relics of “what if.”
Fear’s tyranny is not new. The Bible reveals its grip in the trembling voice of Moses, who pleaded inadequacy before the burning bush (Exodus 4:10), and in the paralysed heart of Gideon, who hesitated before battle. Yet, woven through these narratives is a golden thread: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Fear may knock, but it need not dwell; it is a squatter, not a sovereign. The phrase “Do not be afraid” appears 365 times in the Bible — a reminder for every single day.
We often assume fear is a signal to stop, a confirmation that we are stepping into danger. But is it? Think of the moments when fear took the wheel — did it truly keep you safe, or did it merely keep you small? Fear magnifies obstacles and shrinks our belief. It makes the storm seem larger than our ability to calm it. But isn’t it true that storms, no matter how fierce, always pass?
History is filled with those who have wrestled with fear. It has silenced voices, stalled movements, and kept countless individuals from stepping into their greatness. And yet, those who rise above fear — who dare to move forward despite it — are the ones who rewrite narratives. If fear were truly insurmountable, wouldn’t every great achievement have been impossible?
Even the strongest among us feel fear, but the difference lies in what we do with it. Do we let it dictate our choices, or do we confront it, challenge it, and ultimately move past it? The truth is, courage is not the absence of fear; it is the refusal to be ruled by it. What if, instead of resisting fear, we saw it as proof that we are standing on the edge of something meaningful?
So how do we break free? The answer is simpler than we think: faith. We must stop treating fear as truth and start questioning its authority over our lives. The truth of God’s word, revealed to us by His Spirit, shatters the shackles of dread. Silence the noise and be still. Fear is loud, but it is not wise. If we refuse to listen, does it really have any power at all?
Fear is often fuelled by uncertainty, but so is possibility. The difference lies in where we place our focus. A world gripped by fear creates barriers where there should be doors. But a world that leans into trust, that embraces the unknown, finds opportunity in the unexpected. What if we stopped demanding certainty and started trusting that we would figure things out along the way?
So let us ask: What Goliaths loom in our lives, not because they are invincible, but because we have yet to lift the stone of faith? What waves paralyse us, not because of their power, but because we forget the One who calms the seas?
In the end, fear is but a shadow. And shadows only exist in the presence of light. Every time fear appears, it is only because light is near. Choose the direction you face.
