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trolled emotion of fear leads to
grave consequences-to real des–
peration. There is tbe fear that
"somethi ng is wrong witb the
brain"- that a nervous breakdown
is impending, that even insanity
might result.
Jn other instances this uncon–
trolled emotion results in feelings of
inferiority, in mental inadequacy, in
sexual impotency. One fear leads to
another until our mental outlook
and our physical health are perma–
nently impaired!
But there is a way to correct this
problem. There is a way to conquer
fear!
Are All Fear s Wrong?
For millennia the problem of fear
has confronted and perplexed our
greatest th inkers. Philosophers
have found no satisfactory solu–
tion-or their lives wouldn't have
been so often frustrated! Certain
psychologists have spawned the
idea of au tosuggestion as a solution
to overcoming fears. Those who
have tried this method sti ll fi nd
t hemselves spiri tually devoid of
happiness. Of course! For autosug-
gestion is a clever way of say–
ing self-deception! And de–
cept ion never solved any–
thing.
Others have tried seda-
tives- especially alco–
hol- to relieve their ner–
vous fears. Countless pills
to calm nerves and keep
people happy have been sold by
druggists. But fears and wor ries and
mental and physical illnesses still
continue!
For us to reach the solution, we
must recognize tbere are two fun–
damental types of fears: helpful
fears and harmful fears.
Without normal, helpful fears
none of us would be al ive today!
Proper fear is merely the drive for
self-protection. Without this fear
we would not exercise proper cau–
tion against injury .
I t is tbe kind of fear
we need!
But notice!-
wben the
mind is not properly managed, the
natural fear for self-protection is
turned into unnatural fears for the
protection of self.
Fear s Ar e Learned
The control of the drive or emotion
of fear is a learned process-it is a
matter of education. We first need
to learn what proper fear is. Then
we need to exercise proper control
over it. But we must also avoid mis–
directed and harmful fears.
Proper fear is wisdom.
It
is also
knowledge. Suppose, for a mo–
ment, tbat we are confronted
with a real danger. lt is only
natural that we should be
fearful. But let's master
our fears. Fear tells us
something is wrong.
lt
warns us tbat we must
calmly and carefully face
our danger. We must
get busy an d take
action. Action salves
the danger!-but sim–
ply worrying about it
and being afraid that
the worst will hap–
pen won't help us.
People who a re
chronic worriers,
who have count less
fears, a re usual ly
procrastinators and
indecisive. They are afraid to take
action. Their fears become thei r
master. They become slaves to their
fears.
The time to learn to master our
fears is when we are young-yet the
proper direction of the mind in these
formative years is not being taught
in either the home or the school!
But it is not too late to Iearn. Life
is too important for us to remain in
ignorance, no matter how old we are.
So Iet's learn to distinguish between
helpful and barmfu l fears.
Needless Fears and Phob las
Sometimes our fears are insignifi–
cant or even laughable-to the other
fellow, of course. Petty fears that
plague people- fear of an expanse of
water, fear of air travel, fear of
silence, darkness, shadows in tbe
moonligbt, fear of telephone calls or
telegrams-usually are the result of
past experiences that we have eitber
consciously or su bconsciously
1;1;i~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:...
allowed to haunt us.
Usually far worse are the com–
mon phobias that afflict people
abnormally. Fear of the sight of
blood, fear of animals, fear of being
alone, fear of being afraid , fear of
loss of job and the fear of faHure.
To this list we might add the fear
of everything, a characteristic of
the person who runs away from
life!
Under lyi ng sorne of these abnor–
mal phobias are normal fears. But
1n every
case the normal,
natural fear has
been allowed to get
out of control. Wit–
ness the countless
millions of gi rls and
women who are
afra id they a r e
overweight. Serious
mental, emotional
and physical injury
has often been done to remove this
fear. The worsened condition
creates more fears. A vicious circle
results.
Haven't you known people who
were fearful of being afraid? They
can't explain their fears, but they
know something fearful is goi ng to
happen to them! They haven't
learned óne of the lessons of life,
that our worst fears and experi–
ences never happen!
Sometimes, however, we bring
fears and worries on ourselves. Job
wrote, "For the thing I greatly
feared has come upon me, and what
1
dreaded has happened to me" (Job
3:25, RAV) . Many capable men and
women have become failures simply
by yielding to the uncontrolled fear
of failure. Especially has this been
true since two world wars, a cata–
strophic depression and now a major
recession.
Tbis fear of failure leads to the
fear of lack of security. One anxiety
breeds another. These fears are all
ultimately characteristic of lack
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