Fear Is a Doorway Into Hell; Faith is a Doorway Into Happiness

Fear is a doorway into hell. One conscious thought, knocking at that door, is all it takes for the door to open. And once that door swings open, fear is ready to take you on a rollercoaster into the depths of your inner-darkness-- and beyond.

One fearful thought leads to another as soon as you step foot into the darkness beyond the door. All of the “what if(s)” are there to greet you. Should they fail to terrify you, a host of “if only(s)” will wisk you away to a higher tier of darkness. On that next level, you will be greeted by lack and loss. After all, your fears are fueled by loss of control. Once the stability of control is yanked from under your feet, the fear of losing what you have, or of never having enough, prove to be the seeding grounds for perpetual worry.

Worry is like an endless ocean in the depths of your inner-darkness. Soon you find yourself drowning in the “what if he leaves me?”, or “what if there isn’t enough money left to pay the bills?” As you gasp for air, you are besieged by “if only I had listened to her” or “if only I had said ‘I love you’ when I had the chance!” The waves of regret swirl mightily all around you. They encircle you and you feel your head spinning. Your whole soul feels as if it’s being sucked down into a bottomless pit of despair.

You reach for a life-saver, but the only safety-vest you can salvage involves thoughts of control. This safety-vest is tattered and worn. It keeps you afloat with thoughts like “maybe if I pleaded with my parents for more money…” or “maybe I could convince him that Jack is just a friend…” or “if I just continue to ignore the doctor’s calls, the cancer will go away.”

Eventually, these life-savers usually deflate as you begin to descend deeper and deeper into the abyss of fear’s eternal darkness. Once you hit the bottom of despair’s pit, a Light suddenly appears. That glimmer of hope is your Higher Power: The same Higher Power that you closed the door on when you chose to enter the kingdom of fear. Your Higher Power is the only way up.

Soon you’re remembering the scriptural words of Jesus Christ, “Fear is useless. What’s needed is trust in God.” You start to loosen your hold and release your need to control the situation that has you tied in knots. As you relax, the flood waters regress. With each freeing breath you take, you let go of fearful thoughts and replace them with hopeful, peaceful ones. You know God has gotten you through tough situations in the past and that your Higher Power is always there for you, even if things don’t always turn out just as you had hoped.

You are now knocking at the door of faith; the one Christ referred to when he said “Knock and the door will be opened to you.” The door opens and you are flooded with light. Within that light are the seeds of trust, hope, happiness, perseverance and peace. Your Higher Power is now in control and you are free from worry; free to do your part in solving any problem while your Higher Power shoulders your burden. Working together, hand in hand with your Higher Power and trusted friends, is how you surpass your fears and allow your soul to shine!

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