Fear Factor

What if?

What if something bad happens? What if I fail? What if I am wrong?

If we are not careful these questions can haunt us. They can control us. And we come to the end of our lives and ask another set of "What if?" questions. What if I tried? What if I had done that? What would my life look like if I lived it with strength and with courage?

A lot of things I have done because of fear and guilt. I look back on those things, and although there are some exceptions, I don't necessarily look back on those decisions with glowing pride. As a matter of fact, some of the things I most deeply regret were done because I was afraid. Afraid I was not good enough. Afraid I would miss out. Afraid I would be rejected. Not only am I regretful about some of the decisions I have made, I look back and am sad at the attitude I had at that time. Living guided by fear and guilt is not the life that God intended for us.

On the other hand, the decisions I have made with courage I often regret much less. Even if they were awful decisions in retrospect. I can look at them as character forming at the very least. And, even if things do not work out in retrospect, I learn that I can have faith in God and myself by exercising courage.

At least until the next time I wimp out.