Acrophobia is the fear of heights.
As a psychologist in training, I am forever analyzing myself and trying to "read" people. One of the things I have come to believe( and correct me if I'm wrong) is that people-myself included- aren't actually afraid of heights. They are afraid of falling from those heights. Think about it: whether you are standing on a 4ft step ladder, the edge of the Grand Canyon or strapped snuggly in your seat on a plane 35,000ft in the air- if there was no gravity, no possibility of falling and the unknown level of pain resulting from hitting the ground after said fall, would you be as afraid? I don't think so. That being said, the week before my trip I was experiencing this irrational fear myself. The funny thing was, I have already been on a plane a few times before-going to and from Disneyworld in 2000 when I got engaged and then again in 2002 for my honeymoon. Each time I was not afraid, but rather filled with wonder at the sight of a sunrise from above the clouds, as well as the beauty of the blanketed floor of fluffy clouds below the wings of the plane. I loved the rush of the plane speeding down the runway and the sudden tickle in my tummy as we became weightless.
Yet for some reason 8 years later, not having been on a plane seemed to have done a number on my nerves. Or maybe it was the countless news reels and fantastic cinematography of action movies depicting planes coming to fiery ends that had me thinking this was a bad idea. I mean, being single or married and dying is bad enough; leaving behind 4 small children that you promised to return home safely to with armfuls of gifts not understanding why mommy didn't keep her promise is hugely another. Like I said in the post before, no one can guilt a momma, like that momma herself.
Today's Lesson: Trade Fear for Adventure.
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real
Did you catch that? I don't think that's a mistake. Fear is a horrible crippling weapon that the Enemy uses to keep us from truly living and experiencing life. Now I understand what you may be thinking- a healthy dose of fear is what keeps you alive. The fear of dying and pain is what keeps sane people from walking out in front of cars or testing fate by drinking poison. I got that. But I don't think that that is fear, as much as it is common sense, or better yet wisdom. Knowledge is the learning of what works in and for your life and what doesn't. Wisdom is understanding the difference between the two and making the correct choice. Of course you won't want to do anything that you know for a fact will cause you bodily harm, because you know the end result. That is wisdom.
But fear, that is a whole different animal. Fear is an unfounded belief in which you believe something to be true before you know for a fact whether it truly is or is not true in your case. I have never been in a plane crash. I have never witnessed a plane crash firsthand. But because the news doesn't cover every single successful take off and landing, but rather the sensationalized crashes and fire storms of disaster, we are lead to believe that there are more tragedies occurring in the skies than there really are ( and then they have the nerve to try and tell us the truth- that it is safer to fly than to drive! The nerve of these people and their head games!)
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7KJV
Power: having the authority and upper hand over a situation or foe.
Sound Mind: the state of mind where one is adequately able to make rational decisions (read:not confused). If God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), guess who is....
God created this world and the life He gave you for our enjoyment as well as to learn and grow in Him. Fear is not of God because it hinders us from attaining all that He has for us.
I challenge everyone who reads this to stare Fear in the face and have an adventure.Maybe it's not traveling and flying. Your adventure could be as simple as not hiding the fact that you are a Believer, it could be opening up-just a little- to someone you feel led to trust and letting Love back into your life. Allowing yourself to feel is a huge fear in this world. Why else do people self medicate with casual sex, drugs and alcohol, but to wall up their hearts from ever feeling pain again?
Facing your fears can be (duh) terrifying, but breaking through them....there isn't a better high....one from which you needn't fear falling from. He will only take you higher.
views from the plane at 9pm
Enjoyed, thank you.
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