Distractions and Fear

Intelligence, curious past times, entertainment, games, sports, shopping, working, planning for retirement, trying to help our family---all these are futile without Christ Who gives meaning to our actions, wisdom in our choices and discernment of our motives. Without Christ, our efforts to help a family member may only enable his/her weaknesses. Without Him entertainment may be an escape from a painful relationship or from honest introspection. Preaching about Jesus without the Spirit of Jesus becomes a way to vent anger, or to control people, or to impress them. Without Christ a marriage becomes a battle of egos, or of domination and control, or a boring pastime until death comes, or a living hell of resentment and contempt.

                In Christ we are blessed with a keen awareness of our sinful nature/character defects/dark side or whatever one might label it. It is not good. It is evil. And we should not let the label disguise the evilness of it. It needs to be exposed. Pride and fear keep many away from the Pathway of Truth that leads to ultimate freedom. We cannot circumvent the truth about our self on the way to freedom.

There are many fears to be faced on the Pathway to freedom; and we must face them all, even the fear of death. Some say that they do not fear death but rather life, or the pain and suffering they might endure in life. But that fear does not protect them from these tribulations; it only robs them of peace along the way. Jesus has promised to be with us always. He will be with us when we endure the sufferings that He told us we would have. We can, as He said, “be of good cheer” because He has “overcome the world.” His Love has conquered all. We will be brought to completion. Not even our own sins will prevent us. He has paid the price for them. There is really nothing to fear now that we are in Christ. But fears die hard and crop up like invasive weeds in the garden of our soul. They must be weeded out diligently and regularly. Each one must be brought into the full Light of Christ-in-us, where they evaporate like stagnant water in sunlight.