F.E.A.R.

Raise your hand if you've ever done this before...

You feel yourself getting close to someone emotionally - whether a romantic love interest or a friend - and suddenly find yourself picking fights constantly with that person. Or, you start finding fault in everything he/she does.  Or you just have a sudden urge to run. 

Some of us - perhaps, to some degree, all of us - have a very real fear of emotional connections. Perhaps we were hurt as children. Perhaps we just had too many failed relationships when we were older - or one really nasty one that left us scarred. 

We're afraid of trusting someone only to have that trust broken. We're afraid of opening up to another person. We're afraid of letting down our walls. We're just plain afraid of getting hurt. 

This is completely understandable. But, isn't always healthy - not for us emotionally, nor for us spiritually. At least - it isn't when we choose the first definition Zig Ziglar gives for fear. 

"Forget Everything and Run"

That is a very common reaction when we are faced with fear - especially the fear of relationships. It is so much easier to start picking fights - to start finding faults in the other person to validate our fears. To simply run from the relationship instead of to "Face Everything and Rise." 

But "Face Everything and Rise" is exactly what we should do. God wants us to have close relationships. He wants us to have loving, trusting relationships with other people. God understands we are not meant to be alone in this life - not just in regards to having a romantic partner, but more in regards to having other people who build us up, can be his physical arms to hold us, his ears to listen to us and his voice to advise us. 

Today's Lenten sacrifice:

Let go of fear. 

Or, rather, react to fear in a healthy way. Face those fears. Bring them before God. Don't give up God-given relationships based on a fear of the unknown - on a fear of a potential that the other will hurt you or betray you or leave you. God placed that person in your life for a reason.

Let yourself have that relationship. Pray with the other person. Be honest with the other person about your fears. Rise above those fears. Let yourself love and be loved unconditionally by another person - and especially by God.