Sunday, December 19, 2010

AS BILL SEES IT, Question 22b

Can fear be constructive?  In what ways?


In the 12 step program, one of the acronyms for FEAR is:  False Evidence Appearing Real.  Fear can be constructive for me IF I can learn from it.

Experience has shown, when I have fear, I'm "out of whack" spiritually.

When I'm fearful, I have an agenda - I've taken the outcome back.  I may say I've turned the problem over to God (and I trust him) but in actuality, I haven't.  What it boils down to is my need to control.  I haven't let go and I haven't completely surrendered.  Until this happens, I will continue to struggle (with fear).

The best part of my process is when I have the opportunity to learn.  As I go through the work it requires, I'm learning about what keeps me in bondage to the disease and what little I have to do to be free from it.  Fear can be changed from False Evidence Appearing Real into Face Everything And Recover!  My attitude has changed so that I can again trust God with everything - giving him all of my problems - including the outcomeI'm back to feeling I will be OK.

As hard as it is, I have to do the work - it's the only way I can or will learn.  (I call it the school of hard knocks.)  My brain will not learn from someone else doing the work for me!


                                             

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