Fear and Love: They can’t Live in the Same House, by Rachel Devine
With all that is happening in the world, fear has become a dominant emotion in a lot of people's minds. From the war in Israel to the crisis at our border to the crime in our streets, and through a pandemic, fear seems to have taken over our inner world. Fear can be crippling. It can keep us locked away in our homes and stop us from living a joyful life. It could feel like you have to climb an emotional mountain to get out of your home. There is, however, a more powerful emotion called love that is much more potent than fear. Fear and love cannot coexist. It’s crucial to choose love over fear. You have the power within to turn this around.
Here is an amazing quote on this topic:
As opposites, love and fear cannot be felt at the same time. As Kübler-Ross and Kessler say, "If we're in fear, we are not in a place of love." “When we're in a place of love, we cannot be in a place of fear. Can you think of a time when you've been in both love and fear?”
Therefore, fear and love cannot live in the same house. Let's take a look at fear and love more closely.
Fear
Fear is a debilitating emotion that can be overwhelming. It all starts with worry, which turns into fear, which can turn into a petrified fear, which in turn can morph into paranoa. This is when fear is at its worse.
Fear has been classified as, false events appearing real. The purpose of this acronym is to bring the fear down to size so it is not so overwhelming. This tells us that fear is appearing in the mind, but not necessarily in reality. Sometimes our fears are much bigger than the actual thing we are fearing. It’s important to distinguish the truth about fear so it can lose its grip on you.
Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
This is a profound quote; however, fear can be very real for the person who is experiencing it. Reading loving literature can help. Perhaps some motivational quotes can help you shift from fear to love.
Love
They say love is the opposite of fear. Love is a much more powerful emotion than fear. In fact, love conquers all fears.
As the Bible tells us, There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18.
Whatever the problem, love is the answer. The emotion of love is very strong. It can move us from a state of fear into a state of love and peace. The love I am talking about, is the love of God. The love of God is powerful beyond measure. Staying in a loving state with God by your side should alleviate any fears. Make no mistake about it, you have the power to overcome any fearful obstacles in your life.
In the book, A Course in Miracles there is a famous quote at the end that says, “If you knew who walked besides you on the path that you have chosen, fear would be impossible.” The power that walks besides you is the spirit of God, which is actually within you. You have God’s Spirit within you, so fear is impossible, if you connect to that loving Spirit.
Faith
I believe love goes hand in hand with faith. God is love. I also think that you can't be in fear if you are in faith. Having faith in the higher power of your understanding will help you get out of fear. Letting go and letting God is a really great slogan that reminds us to let go of our fears and worries and hand them over to God, who will handle them. Having faith and staying in prayer will offset any fears. Praying will help you stay in the moment and in a loving state of mind, which will offset any fears. This in turn will transform your life to one of love.
Staying in the Moment
When you stay in the moment, there really is nothing to fear. The moment is a place where our fears cannot enter, because our fears usually entail thinking about past traumatic events or future worries. Staying in the here and now puts you in a safe and loving space. Remember, the fear is in your mind, so the solution is also in your mind. And remember, the only place you can connect to God is in the moment. God is not in the past or the future, but in this very moment.
The Power of Positive Thinking
There is an amazing book called "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale. The premise is pretty simple. What you focus your attention on will have power in your life. If you are resonating with fear, then fearful situations will appear. If you are resonating with being positive and thinking of positive outcomes for the fearful situation, that is what will appear in your life. Many people underestimate the power of our thoughts to create our world. However, your thoughts have power beyond comprehension. The power of positive thinking is a reality, not some lofty title in a book.
Just envision a perfect outcome for your fearful situation and keep that focus every day in a short visual. Not only will the fear vanish, but you will also be putting energy into the world to bring about a positive result. The law of attraction then kicks in and does its job. The law of attraction is very clear, as it states, "Like attracts like," and what we think about expands. Therefore, it is dangerous to stay in a fearful state because you will inadvertently bring more things into your life to be afraid of. Stay in love, have faith, and have positive thoughts, and that will offset any fears.
In conclusion, we do live in a world of uncertainty and fear. However, how you view the world is the key to having love or fear rule your day. To put this in perspective, we know we can't stop the war in our world or the terrible situation with crime. However, we can stay in our own emotional shelter under God's tent. God’s protection is powerful. We can put ourselves in a loving and faithful emotional state in prayer.
In Psalms 46:1–6, God is our shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not be afraid, even if the earth is shaken and mountains fall into the ocean depths, even if the seas roar and rage and the hills are shaken by the violence.
Norman Vincent Peale says it all in this amazing quote:
"Change your thoughts, and you change your world." That says it all.
Rachel Devine is the author of The Third Road, a book that gently guides one to the power within and their purpose in life, and Lessons from the Needle in a Haystack, a spiritual book on dating and relationships.
Devine Intervention - The Healing Center website.
Please leave your ideas in the comments. Or please also feel free to contact me. I will answer all emails.