Fear of What Lies Ahead

Though much of our fear is based on uncertainty, advance knowledge of what lies ahead does not always ease our mind.

It is often when our future seems brightest that our resolve crumbles and we veer off course. We can recognize that success is on the horizon, but we cannot discern how it will impact our lives, or how to reach out to achieve it.

Because success can affect us in complex and unpredictable ways, it can take us out of the status quo and push us into new circumstances that test our limits and our faith. The mere idea of attaining the life of our dreams can shake us to our core. Perhaps we dream of relocating to a new and distant, place to live. However, when life presents us with that opportunity, fear often sets in as we are threatened with leaving our comfort zone.

Such is the same with the possibility of a job loss and losing the connections with friends we've made through that job.

Fear of the future is often closely intermingled with the fear that growing into our own potential will both change us irrevocably and force us to face situations that we do not believe we are ready for. We subconsciously project ahead into the future and see success as a great weight bearing down on us.

It is important to remember, however, that all of the life changes that the future will bring to us will be implemented into our life slowly and gradually.

When we visualize our future, we tend to focus on the outcomes rather than the steps we will take to reach those conclusions. Therefore, we often forget that growth is progressive.

Our soul longs to fulfil its purpose - a purpose that has been with us in the timelessness in which we've existed since before our birth.

Because of this, God will never allow us to set any circumstance before us that we are not capable of handling. You see, God does not place circumstances ahead of us, we do.

Fear of the future can paralyze us, preventing us from living in the moment and from working toward our goals in a mindful manner. The key to conquering this fear lies in our awareness.

When we can identify the irrational thoughts that frighten us, we can replace them with logical, self-affirming ideas.

If we are afraid that we won't be satisfied when we accomplish a certain goal, we need to remember that no one achievement represents an end, in and of itself.

There is always more to life.

If we fear recognition or unworthiness, we need to remember that, even now, we are deserving of praise and are always in the loving embrace of God.

Should fear of the future strike us as we strive to create, evolve, and share, we need to stand strong and assert our faith with strength, courage, and commitment.

If we disregard past patterns and focus on the present by stilling the inner voice that comments critically on what we do, and what situation we've gotten into, we tell ourselves that the inevitability of our success is not based on luck or fate, but rather on our established talents, imagination, and inner strength.

Sometimes, bad things just do happen to good people.

Each time we overcome our fear of the future, we chip away at its very foundation, weakening fear itself, breath by breath, and strengthening our own faith and resolve, thereby enriching the soil in which our spiritual strength and future lives and grows. This same spiritual growth is meant to feed us as well as others, much like any other garden.

By doing so, we eventually clear a path through which we can gaze upon the faith filled garden of our future with unhindered optimism.

With much love & light,

Rob