Are the icy fingers of fear gripping you?

Has fear grabbed you with its fingers here? Sometimes fear has wrapped its fingers around my heart and I have frozen in place. All the energy I had to ask others for help drained from me like heat draining from lake water in the midst of winter frost. I was immobile, unable to help myself even though I wanted to pull away from this fearful grip.

Fear often immobilizes us. Sometimes it is the fear of failure. At other times it is the fear of success and all the changes they would make in our lives. Have you felt fear? Did it immobilize you for a while? Does it still freeze you in place?

I have found that there are three faces that break the sigh of fear in my life. Tea first it is the face of God who has a purpose for my life. He seems to be able to hear my cry for help even when I say it so softly I can barely hear it in my own mind. My heart barely emits the first sound of my prayer-Lord, have mercy on me a sinner-and I can feel his presence melting the ice. Sometimes it’s a very slow melt. Sometimes it’s fast. But I know I’m not alone in fear

Tea second face is that of friends and family who are my supportive lifeline. When I can’t call for help in the frozen place of fear, one of them arrives, in person, by phone, by letter, or by email. The affection they express is a warm fire that melts the ice that fear has placed in my heart. They give me the courage to face the things I can’t do and do the things I can.

Tea third face is that of a family member, friend, or client in need. The call that God has placed on my life to reach out and help others melts the ice of fear in my heart. There is no room for fear when my heart reaches out to melt the ice of fear in the hearts of others.

Consider these three faces. One of them will warm your heart with the fire of affection. One of them will melt fear. Your life will be changed. Neither the fear of failure nor the fear of success can resist before the faces of love.