Overcoming Fear!

I'm afraid. It is hard to admit. Afraid to admit that I fear things. I fear God, I try to keep His commandments. There tends to be alot out there on fear. As if I can overcome Fear itself. You know what I think it is ok to be afraid at times. It is ok to doubt, to have emotions and feelings. People like to think there is some magic formula to overcoming things. There isn't. They write books and say - "Oh, you can overcome fear - just trust God." Sounds like and Cute in practice, but in reality doesn't work. To overcome fear - it is like a process. You have to know what your fears are.

For example: "I hate Spiders." Just can't stand them. So do I need to pull an Indiana Jones and be thrown into a pit of spiders to overcome my fear? Absolutely not! Then there are some things that people are afraid of that they need to seek more professional help. To come up with some clever slogan or something disregards the way God created us. Sure, we are to have a Spirit of Hope, to not be intimidated. Fear is one of those emotions I'm grasping. I ask myself the tough questions:

1. What am I afraid of?
2. Why is that?
3. How can I overcome that?
4. When did this fear first start?

Sometimes fear isn't easily controlled, nor should we reduce it down to some formula. There are real people, that are really hurting, and for us to say "Don't be afraid - just ..." rather ignores the issue rather than listening to them and helping them to listen for God.