Heffalumps and Woozles

Winnie the Pooh has a very big fear of Heffalumps and Woozles. They made him hug his honey jars tighter and hide under his covers. Although Heffalumps and Woozles seem silly to us, mainly because we know that they are not real, but they are very real and scary to Pooh. Likewise, what may seem scary to me may seem silly to you. And, what may seem scary to you may not be scary to me. 

I've been thinking a lot about fears lately. This past month I went back to Vermont for Christmas break. Although I do have neighbors we are so far spaced out that when I look out any of my windows at night I cannot see any lights. I would often be up really late in the kitchen making cookie dough (I own a small cookie dough business) after my grandma went to sleep. I'd be up alone, in the dark, surrounded by big, dark windows. I am terrified of the dark. Yes, terrified. Two nights I became so scared that I stopped making cookie dough although I had several batches left to make and ran into my room and shut the door. I know, this is kind of pathetic for a 19-year-old, but I'm being honest. As I laid under my covers and thinking about how sad it was that I just ran into my room because I was scared of the darkness outside my windows, I did a lot of thinking and praying. As I thought about my fear, prayed, and read my Bible more I realized some things. I want to share these with you to encourage you. 

What do you fear? I may be something such as the dark, like me. Or maybe spiders or snakes or birds. Maybe it's a fear that you've developed because of experiences you have had, such as a fear of being lonely or not meeting other people's expectations. Maybe you fear the future. Perhaps you just received terrible health news about yourself or a loved one. I just don't know what you fear. What I do know though, is that our God is bigger. Our God created whatever you fear. Since He created it, He ultimately controls it. Now, this is not to say that what you fear will never happen. If you're afraid of spiders, there's a good chance you will see a spider at some point. However, what I believe is most important is to remember that God is not absent simply because He allowed your fear to happen. 

Why are fears bad? I think the most damaging thing about fears is that fears are crippling. Fears keep us from doing what God calls us to do. Sometimes, God asks us to go outside of our comfort zone. 

Gideon, like all Israelities, was very afraid of the Midianities. The Midianities were stronger and bigger than the Israelities, and the Israelities were so afraid of them that they hid in caves! When the Angel of the Lord (AOFT) appeared to Gideon, Gideon asked Him questions like you and I would. He asked how bad things could happen if God really was with the Isrealites. What had happened to the God that used to preform great miracles, did He not care about them anymore? The AOFT then asked Gideon to do something terrifying: to go fight the Midianities. Gideon, like us, was scared and began making excuses. He was the weakest man of the weakest tribe, he said. The AOFT then told Gideon that he could do it, because He would help him. 

Likewise, when we face big challenges. Big scary things. Such as Heffalumps, the dark, spiders or the future, we shouldn't be afraid. As Christians, we know that God has created and called us with a purpose. Allowing our fears to cripple us keeps us from doing what He wants us to do. 

Gideon, with God's help, went on to conquer the Midianities. Gideon and the Israelites saw God work. In order to do this, though, they needed to get over their fear that had crippled them to the point of living in caves. Similarly  I need to overcome my fear of the dark. I need to allow God to help me to do this, so that I can strip away everything that may possibly keep me from serving Him.