In the Hallway – Mastering Your Fears

Posted by admin in Blogs, Helpful Articles

Jan
31

How many of you have been in the hallway “when one door is closing or has closed and the other door hasn’t opened up yet?” Sometimes the door is closed through no fault of your own –you lose a job, a relationship ends, a loved one dies. Sometimes, you choose to close the door yourself because you want something different – to feel more alive and fulfilled. Either way, it’s not always a fun place to be and can be very scary.

Being in the hallway can be a place where your faith muscles grow – if you let them. It can be a place where you learn patience and

trust, especially when it looks like nothing is happening. Many of us struggle and complain and bang on the door begging God to open the new door NOW. We try to bargain with God – I will do this God if you please give me what I desire and need.

You may feel so scared that you think about going back and opening the old door if you could, even though you know in your heart it’s not the right thing to do and you don’t want to do it. Or you can surrender and wait patiently; knowing God is in control and has your good in mind. When you surrender and accept “what is”, you will have peace.

I struggle with “being in the hallway” because I can’t see what the next opportunity or open door will look like. Yes, I visualize and see it in my mind what I want it to look like. But there are no guarantees. Here’s where practicing faith comes in. Often when the new door is opened, it’s better than we could have

ever imagined.

Like most of us, I like to be in control and know exactly what’s going on around me. I’m learning to “let go and let God” when I’m in the hallway. I practice “acting as if” everything is ok and I’m exactly where I need to be, trusting in God’s divine plan and timing.

I just came out of the hallway and a new door has opened for me. For the past year, I prayed about leaving my job of 20 years

as a therapist to go full time working for God. As the author of Simply a Woman of Faith, I wanted to promote and market my book, as well as lead retreats and give inspirational talks.

During the discernment period, God gave me many signs that I was on the right path and following His calling. In my heart and soul, I knew it was God’s plan and that He would provide. I told myself “God is my employer and the benefits will be heavenly.” Even though I knew I was on the right path, I still had fear.

Shortly after I gave my notice at work, I had what I call a “Fear Attack.” I felt overwhelmed and doubted if I made the right decision. All the “what if’s” and negative thinking came crashing down on me, like a giant wave. I said things like “You have to be crazy leaving your job when people are losing jobs left and right and the economy is at its worst. At your age, you’ll never find a good job like the one you have now. It’s not too late to tell your boss you changed your mind.”

I knew I was in trouble and had to pray and change my thinking. When I come into the presence of God and Spirit, I change. Prayer changes me on the inside.

I allowed myself to feel my fear and then told myself the truth – “I am a divine and powerful spiritual being and am one with God. I will no longer be ruled by my fears. Fear is useless, what is needed is trust. Ultimately it is up to me to save myself from fear; nobody could do it for me.”

Developing faith muscles takes commitment and discipline. It is not the absence of fear. It’s facing the fear and doing it anyway. As we get closer to manifesting our dreams into reality and the bigger the dream, the old beliefs and feelings will often surface. At these times, it’s important to pray, meditate, visualize, journal and come back to the truth. God is your source and when you step out in faith, doors and opportunities will open up wide.

Mastering your fears, doubts and anxieties is surely the highest task that is given to you in this life time. If you can master your fear, you can go forth into the world and help others to master their fear.

Overcoming your fears requires work, discipline and faith. Faith will give you the ability to believe in something that has no proof and in turn will help you create something seemingly impossible. Without faith, you cannot believe and without belief you cannot create.