Halloween Fear!
People love to have the hell scared out of them. Most anyway! October is known for scary movies and haunted houses. Halloween fear drives the creepy industry. You’ve noticed the stores setting up their Halloween displays right after school starts. The iconic Halloween image is the Headless Horseman with a carved pumpkin in the rider’s hand chasing down a frightened trick or treater!
People thrive on fear. On the surface, people enjoy being entertained by the 31 days of fright. They make fear fun. My hunch, however, in the depths of our souls, people would much rather be motivated by fear rather than love.
What motivates you to be the person you are? Is it fear or love? Now that’s a scary thought! Are you defined by your insecurity or uncertainty? Are you pushed and pulled by the unknown presence around the next dark corner?
In one of my recent reading assignments for seminary, I came across this definition of fear – “Fear is seen as immediate alarm in response to a serious, known threat.” Name the fear: Fear of rejection…violence…being missed understood...being alienated or violated. Fear protects us. Your fight or flight instinct probably kept you alive at some point in your life. However, when we are spiritually out of balance and lost our intimacy with others we drift into the dark side of self-protection. Have you lost God somewhere along the way? Or lost a significant loved one in your life? When we lose touch with God’s love, fear kicks down the door saying, “I am here!” Fear motivates our feelings, actions, and thoughts, not love. Fearfulness pushes people away.
Fear drives out love. Fear stops us from releasing the Jesus inside us. What is the answer? What keeps us from drifting away from God and others? What could possibly be a better motivator than fear?
The Apostle John said it best, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear…”(1 John 4:18). Read 1 John 4:7-21 to get the full context of what John meant.
Do you love Jesus? His perfect love is available to motivate your feelings, actions, and thoughts. Love like Jesus and you will live like Jesus. God’s love moves you toward people. You love from a safe and secure place. People who stand on God’s love are willing to take risks to help others out of the hell they are living in. 1 Corinthians 16:14 say, “Let everything you do be done in love.” You can’t hold back Jesus’ gift of perfect love inside you. It will be in every move you make.
During my high school years, Mrs. Martie Wood loved like Jesus. She exemplified Jesus’ love. People knew and felt loved through her presence and actions. Yes, everything she did was done in love. She wasn’t perfect, but perfect love lived in her. It sparked a motivation in me to embrace this love, too.
What motivates you to be the person you are? Do you feel stuck? Are motivated by phobias? Do you need help to get past your fears? If your fears are at a more clinical level, it will be helpful to walk through this process of getting back into life with a professional. Annie King Counseling might be the place to find your footing. Annie and Kurt are available to walk with you through this. You don’t have to be motivated by fear anymore.