When I was young, I always thought the worst type of monsters to exist were the ones right under my bed at night. I remember double-checking my closet and looking underneath my bed when I was six to see that nothing was lurking in the shadows of my room. At that age, I only wanted to believe that monsters were just a figment of my imagination, but as I have gotten older, I realized that the worst monsters are the ones that live in my mind.
There is a monster that exists in each of our lives. This monster cripples others while it prevents some from reaching their true potentials. Unlike the monsters we warned of when we were little, these monsters exist in daylight and nighttime. This monster continues to wreak havoc and make people lose control of the only thing they are in control of. Fear is the monster and the more we feed it, the more it grows. Fear brings the feeling of uncertainty and the feeling that there is danger around every corner. It makes you fee like you should constantly be looking over your shoulder, waiting for something bad to happen. When your life is being controlled by something you can't see, you begin to question whether life is worth living. Fear brings out the worst in us; we revert back to our comfort zone and become insecure in who we are and our current surroundings. It makes us feel weak and feel like every new opportunity, experience or adventure is a threat in disguise.
Living in fear limits our ability to achieve something great in our lives. We are constantly questioning our every move, every decision and every choice we make in our lives, worrying that we are going to fail miserably. I see living in fear as constantly looking over your shoulder; always waiting for something bad to happen. It's like you can't accept anything good in your life without expecting something horrible to happen, and that's no way to live life at all. I don't want to live my live in fear, but sometimes it can be difficult suppressing your thoughts when there is so much danger that occurs in the world.
Fear can destroy anything in its path; it roams like a fire and if you can't control it, it can consume you. This is why I'm thankful that I have a loving God in my life because without Him, fear would continue to control my life. It's normal to get scared, be afraid or be fearful. Its just part of human nature and something everyone experiences. What's not normal is questioning everything that exists and looking at the glass half-empty. God has the ability to make me feel safe and secure because I know that I am in His arms and that He will never let go. Even in my loneliest and darkest hours, where I feel so vulnerable and weak, He still holds me close. I know that I can share all my anxiety and fears with Him and that He will take care of all my problems. His love is greater than any love I have ever known and his perfect love casts out all fear.
