Face or Flee

One of life's greatest chameleons has to be fear. It doesn't matter where you go or who you talk to most people have one fear or another. Sadly, fear can even be a driving force behind an individual's very life. Personally, fear has been an ever present force providing me an opportunity. What opportunity does fear offer? Well, I have the choice to either face my fears or flee my fears.

Years ago I was dealing with a rather difficult tax situation. I had at least 2 or 3 years worth of unfiled back taxes. Why? Fear. I had just come through a few years of attempting self-employment and in order to make it through the year and pay my bills I thought I had to skip paying my taxes and hope I could deal with them at the end of the year.

The first year I did this I ended up owing close to $3,000. The next two years that followed I made the situation worse by not filing my taxes. Three years of this behavior and some IRS letters brought reality to my doorstep. I knew at the time my decisions weren't rational but who ever said facing your fears was a rational experience.

Obviously running from a situation is not an answer but this is where the opportunity arises. Bills and checks alike were coming that first year I skipped paying taxes. Instead of seeking God and asking him for his direction and provision I tried to figure things out myself. Well, I didn't really figure things out I just tried to avoid it. I tried to not think about it.

The day came when I had to deal with the situation and despite the horror stories I've heard regarding IRS troubles I worked with them to slowly pay off what grew to over $12,000 of back taxes with several thousand of that being penalties and interest. A high price to pay for fear.

Recently, I wrote on how the month of April is a time of seeking God and trusting him for my provision. There are times when I am fearful that I should be looking for jobs instead of using up my savings but this is another Face or Flee opportunity. I can try to just avoid my fears and put them out of my mind OR I can face them and replace them with the truth of God's word. One approach deals with the issue the other just avoids it and leaves it open for it to resurface.

The principle I'm learning is this; facing fear by replacing it with truth honors God and makes me stronger. Fleeing fear and just trying to avoid those thoughts by distracting myself just hides the issue leaving it for me to have to deal with at a later time. Why not embrace truth now, grow past it so I learn to deal with my life instead of hide from it.

RM