Living In Uncertain Times

The following are my favorite phobias from website www://phobialist.com that lists hundreds of phobias (editorial comments mine)

• Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth
• Dentophobia- Fear of dentists [hmmm… getting close]
• Didaskaleinophobia- Fear of going to school [I think I used to have that one!]
• Glossophobia- Fear of speaking in public [naah…]
• Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- Fear of long words [I just got that one!]
• Isolophobia- Fear of solitude, being alone [I thought that just came from being sanguine!]
• Kathisophobia- Fear of sitting down [that too!]
• Lachanophobia- Fear of vegetables [yep, I tried to tell mom I was really sick!]
• Mageirocophobia- Fear of cooking [you know, I still get that one once in a while]
• Novercaphobia- Fear of your step-mother [nah, I’m one of those blessed men that has a great mom-in-law!]

Okay, I know... People have issues! But the last couple of months will probably go down in our recent history as the most fearful and anxious most Kenyans have ever experienced. Fear destroys our relationships, lowers our productivity and causes us to loose focus on the things that really count. Apart from those hard to pronounce phobias, there are also the deeper rooted fears that affect our life plans and limit what we can be. How can we learn to live confidently in such uncertain times? Here are 5 helpful P’s for when you're petrified…

1. Pinpoint – the place to begin is to acknowledge the fears that affect us. There are those we’re already aware of and perhaps also those we don’t even see and yet affect us greatly. For the latter, we might begin by praying, ‘search me O God and know my heart; see if there’s any anxious way in me’ (Psalm 139:23)

2. Ponder - think through the last few times you were driven by that fear. How did you react? How would you have reacted if you knew Jesus was physically present with you? His promise is ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’

3. Pray - begin to pray daily about those fears. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray ‘deliver from evil’. Specifically ask God each day to help you overcome the fears that affect you.

4. Prioritize - learning about God – search His word for scriptures you can memorize about your particular situation. God’s word is something we can hold on to no matter how tough our situation becomes.

5. Practice – Practice God’s presence daily as you face your fears. Remember His promises. One of my favorite is ‘the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?’ (Hebrews 13:6)