“…the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:7

 When talking about the mind, it’s very important to talk about fear. And, although we have control over many of our thoughts, the way we view others, the way we think about our situation, one thing that’s hard to control directly is fear.

All of us, when we’re afraid, feel plagued, like life has been poisoned. Anything that would have been enjoyable – a movie, time with loved ones, learning, etc. – lose a bit of their goodness because of fear; worry poisons everything.

And so we try to will ourselves to be free of fear, don’t we? But we find that’s very hard to do. It’s hard not to be afraid anymore, not to worry, especially when something scary that’s very personal to you happens, and especially when you feel alone.

Nonetheless, we do have control over fear, though not in a direct way. We do have control in an indirect way. This church really believes in the power of indirection. That the third party things I do, the media I consume, the friends I have, that those things actually do affect my life in a big way. Change the choices we make, and fear and worry diminish.

Prayer: Dear Lord, there are choices I make that actually cause me to fear, cause me to worry. Help me see the changes I need to make in my life, and give me the strength to make those changes. Amen.

Reflection: What “third party” people, things, behaviors in your life bring worry and fear into your mind?