As many states draw to a close to this pandemic, people are beginning to reveal their true thoughts and hearts throughout social media. When people respond with words that are biting and mean, it is a clear sign that they are hurting. Hurt people hurt others because when we are hurt, we don’t always respond to situations well, and our fears and anger are leading us. It takes strength to respond with love and truth. It takes strength to move away from fear to faith. Faith responds with love, truth, and kindness.
On social media, I have written comments and sent them. I have written comments and deleted them. Some comments I regret pushing the “send” button. I was angry and feared that the other person didn’t respect me. I allowed fear to lead me. We all need to realize that when we allow fear to lead our lives, we will become unhealthy in our mental, emotional, spiritual, and even our physical lives. Our lives led with fear blind us to the needs of others, which results in mean words and unloving actions. We need to be better. We need to do better.
Fear comes when something in our lives is out of control. In order to gain some control, we want to control something or someone. Since we are in this pandemic, many of us cannot control the situations we are in, so those who fear begin to try to control others because they cannot control what is happening to them. It happens in life all the time and it’s a vicious circle. Leaders who believe that their people are not following them, begin to lead with fear so that they will have followers. It’s not a matter of who is right and who is wrong. It’s a matter of fear vs. faith.
Fear says that we need to begin to control everything and everyone in our surrounding in order to calm our fears. Even when everything is what you believe to be in your control, chaos will still reign and throw everything out of control. We cannot control chaos. We can only manage our fears. We can only look at life through the viewpoint of our own lives and experiences and begin to trust that other people will do the same. Other people cannot calm your fears. Other people cannot calm you. You have to take the steps to be calm and bring peace to your life, which will then spread to the lives of others.
Faith is not foolish or reckless. Faith is letting go of what we cannot control and managing the areas of our lives that we can control. To yell, scream, and cuss out people for not falling in line with your control and calm your fears creates more chaos and it does not work. It usually has the opposite effect and causes people to be even more rebellious, or causes them to fear you and then they respond with mean remarks.
Risk taking is difficult for most people. I know someone who doesn’t have that trigger in his brain that tells him something is dangerous; therefore, he skydives often. No one is asking anyone to jump out of a plane, but if you read the comments on social media, it makes one wonder if we are being asked to jump out of a plane with a certain type of parachute or no parachute. Risk taking means you have to go beyond your fears and have faith no matter the circumstances.
Faith needs to exist in order for humanity to thrive. Faith believes even when it seems impossible to believe. Faith understands that every human being is a creation of God and therefore, to demean a human being that God created is demeaning God. Faith does not have to BE right. Faith does what IS right. Fear has to be right, but does not do what is right. We need to allow faith to lead us instead of fear.
Let us live our lives with faith. Jesus came to bring us peace. The peace he gives is not the same kind of peace that the world has. With Jesus, His peace brings unity in midst of chaos. With the peace of Jesus, we can come together and encourage those who fear the worst. The media scares us every single day. It’s time that we spend more time with God than what the media has to say. Those who bring elements of fear will try to manipulate and lead us, but we must prevail and be led by faith.
During this time or anytime, people can stay in their homes and not fear. With faith, we can create a space that is clean. With faith, we can create something that will encourage others. With faith, we can encourage others with our words, including social media posts. With faith, we can send encouraging notes and emails to those who we may have disagreements, and those who may need someone to show them that someone cares.
During this time and anytime, people can go to places that are open and not fear. With faith, we can follow the guidelines and represent Jesus. With faith, we can spend time with others in spaces that are physically safe. With faith, we can support businesses that may have lost a lot of revenue. With faith, we can serve others, especially those who cannot go outside.
With faith, we can make a difference. With fear, we just make people angry and hopeless. With faith, we bring hope. With faith, we bring kindness and understanding to those with whom we disagree. With faith, we live our lives without judging those who live their lives differently than us, but we should always live to represent Jesus and the love that he has for everyone. It’s a difficult time. It’s a choice. We either live by faith or by fear. With faith, we will open up the doors of hope, love and peace. With every step in our lives, we make a choice. I hope we all begin to choose faith because it is only with faith and the hope that it brings that will bring the world a “New Normal.” A new world where people walk by faith.
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