Fear is a stronghold that can cripple our lives. It brings with it insecurity, anxiety, a controlling nature, and a host of other negative mental and emotional conditions. One of the most practical ways of overcoming fear is exposure therapy. In laymen’s terms that simply means “facing your fears.” For example, people who have arachnophobia, which includes a fear of spiders, overcome that fear by gradually introducing themselves to spiders. They look at pictures of spiders, they go to the pet store and let a tarantula crawl on their hands, and they leave the spider web hanging in their living room, until finally, fears that once sent them over the edge become normalized and manageable. Granted, they may still want to smash the multi-legged creature with a steel-toed boot, but they no longer feel like they have to flee a house where a spider is in residence. Like riding a roller coaster, the first time to face a fear is the most difficult, but repetition will erode it into nonexistence. An unseen part of the overcoming-fear-equation is trust. If we trust the mechanics of the roller-coaster, we can more easily climb into the bucket seat that will carry us through the ride. If we trust the clerk to rescue us from an angry spider or trust that our handy-dandy broom will make havoc of arachnid invaders, then we’re less fearful of the creepy crawlies. Scripture says, “…Perfect love casts out fear…” Simple realization that God’s love, the only perfect love, is able to hold us through trying times and lead us through uncertain places can erase many of the fears that threaten to strangle our lives.
Tip/Tidbit: Exposing our fears to Jesus and removing the curtain of the uncertainty so that He is exposed to us is "exposure therapy" at its best.You can take action against fear today by beginning the practice of trusting God with the small things. Take a leap of faith and face an uncomfortable unknown with full assurance that God is facing it with you.
To talk with a professional about clinical exposure therapy, call (337) 302-0801.
Tip/Tidbit: Exposing our fears to Jesus and removing the curtain of the uncertainty so that He is exposed to us is "exposure therapy" at its best.You can take action against fear today by beginning the practice of trusting God with the small things. Take a leap of faith and face an uncomfortable unknown with full assurance that God is facing it with you.
To talk with a professional about clinical exposure therapy, call (337) 302-0801.
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