The Fear Pandemic

The Fear Pandemic

Photo taken 1996

We’re living in a time when fear is ruling the lives of many people.

No one likes uncertainty.

When you take chances, risk it all and jump in with both feet, somethings going to hurt.

Perhaps we’ve been coddled too long.

When I quit my job at KEZI to run for public office I had no plan B.

I ran for Secretary of State in Oregon back in 2008.

It was a huge risk and we lost but we also won.

Let me explain.

Reporters used to ask me during the campaign, “What’s your plan B?” to which I would say “I have no plan B I’m focusing on plan A right now.”

I trusted God would lead me and He did.

The last 17 years have been a roller coaster of success and failures.

I had some fearful nights, but what I learned is fear paralyzes you so you have to look past it and keep moving forward.

When the pandemic hit, we were nervous at first but discernment and education never allowed uncertainty to manifest itself into full blown fear.

Now, we have folks who hate Trump so much they live in a constant state of fear that is unwarranted if they just looked a little deeper and rather than fight uncertainty, embraced it.

When you Google fear here’s what it says: Fear triggers a "fight-or-flight" response, causing physical symptoms like a rapid heartbeat and increased breathing, and can also lead to mental and emotional effects like anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and even long-term health problems if chronic.”

When in fear you make bad choices. Fear loves company so rather than finding ways to diminish it, people tend to find information and people to justify it.

The other day I was toying with fear as the stock market plunged and my retirement was losing money. We talked with our financial folks who encouraged us to sell a bunch of bonds and buy more stock.

Three hours after they did that the market soared to its single highest point in one day in 20 years.

Fear will cripple you. Fear destroys your health, ruins relationships and undermines your life.

Information isn’t the answer. Most folks stuck in fear, I notice, gravitate to “facts” that fuel their fears rather than the opposite.

It all comes down to trust.

Who do you trust?

For me my trust is not in Donal Trump, although I support much of what he’s doing.

My trust is in God and that He is in charge.

The secret weapon to fight fear is God given discernment which some like to call common sense.

I know there will be more up and down moments as we move towards this new Free America.

Trumps opponents won’t stop throwing him and his ideas under the bus.

Just think how much quicker the process would be if they did.

If He could fight for America instead of against a faction of it, restoration would be quicker.

Fear fuels the fury.

Pay less attention to the headlines and the noise.

The traditional media lies….period.

It is so deeply entrenched in the madness and fear, the news can’t be trusted and you know it.

It’s interesting, all that people did to protect themselves from the pandemic’s destruction and now fear is infecting them and they refuse to take any precautions.

I’ll leave you with this great line from an amazing book. “Fear not because fear brings on more evil.”

Think about that next time you begin to fear the future.

Hunker down the ride is just beginning.