How to Apply the biblical principle:“Do not fear” in every day life

There is a phrase in the Bible that many people struggle with (including myself at times) and it looks like this:

“Do not fear.”

And I often think:

“Okay, sounds great God.”

But how on earth do I do that?

I am big on neuroplasticity because it completely astounds me that our human brain can be rewired and it’s a concept that goes against everything I believed about myself growing up.

So I was thinking about this in context of traveling last night because there is an example that stood out to me in my own life.

Many people often ask Luke and I “arnt you afraid to live where you live and go where you do?” We have even been told not to go to some places by well meaning people.

To which we often respond, “have you been to that area?” These conversations will vary depending on the country. And they often respond with, “no, but I have heard bad things on the news.”

Here’s what I love about our brains. We tune into information + it shapes our beliefs.

But the thing, we also have the power to step in and reshape them.

Here’s a personal example:

When we had first moved to Albania, I was excited but also super nervous. It didn’t hit me until I got off the plane and I started seeing faces that looked familiar and it sent me into a small feeling of unease and panic.

Why?

Because my brain had already paved a pathway of a perspective of Albania. How?

Well when I was younger, I saw a movie called “Taken.” And it is a movie about a girl being trafficked in Albania. (I don't recommend the movie, it is scary). So then when I landed, some of the men in the movie looked exactly like the men I saw in person, and so my brain was associating them with that movie and as a result it was confirming fears in my mind and creating a small sense of overwhelm.

I started thinking thoughts like “wow what have we done? I am never going to be able to leave the house, these men are going to take me.”

I look a lot different than the Albanians so this truth, in my mind was even more confirmed when I would walk down the street and people would stare me.

So here is what I love about our God designed brain.

As I lived in Albania, I was introduced to another truth: some Albanians are absolutely incredible people + some of the most hardworking people I know.

They will literally stop what they are doing to help you and are so servant hearted. We met an English teacher and on the first day we met her she offered to show us around and sent her husband to help us carry our stuff in to our new place. She is still one of our best friends.

If you compliment something (i learned this because it’s my nature to compliment) they will literally try and give that thing to you. I complimented a friends purse once and she said “do you want it?” And started emptying her purse in an attempt to give it to me. I was shocked and didn't take it, but the point is: some have incredible servant hearts.

We also connected with an incredible local church filled with some amazing people, we have grown to love deeply.

So then I was introduced to another story of Albania. A story of a country being filled with loving and kind people.

And it was up to me to chose. Which story would I believe?

Would I live in faith and trust in God that even though there are bad people in the world, there are still good ones and safe places out side of America?

Or would I live consumed in fear and allow it impact my actions?

I chose faith and I continue to chose it daily and pay attention to + rewrite the stories I believe each day.

In the case with Albania, it took some time, but eventually those pathways in my brain that were developed from fear, changed to comfort and love, and a sense of safety.

Now…I can hear people that care about me saying “now Megan, living in faith doesn’t mean being ignorant, there are dangerous people and things out there.”

True. And living in faith does not mean I suddenly lose my ability to be cautious. There are dangerous people in Albania, that is true. I’m not denying that by being careful of what I focus on.

It just means I am not constantly paralyzed by fear to the point where my actions begin to change and I allow it to impact the filter by which I view the world.

Because friends, our brains are SO powerful. And they look for evidence each day to confirm what we believe. Then our beliefs impact our thoughts, behaviors, and actions. And many people walk around totally hijacked by this without realizing it. Or live in echo chambers that only give them one point of view of the world with a steady stream of confirmation bias.

I know I did that for awhile.

A small example: In grade school, I could not recall information after I read as a kid for the life of me and I was a horrible test taker (for various reasons). I remember once reading in school for a comprehension activity one on one with the teacher and she had me read something to her out loud and then said, “okay megan, now tell me about what you just read.”

My mind went blank and I told her I couldn’t remember. I was sweating and ashamed as I saw the look on her face. And it caused me to develop a belief that I was incapable of reading and learning.

This influenced the way I viewed myself and began to impact my actions and I was a terrible student until college. It impacted the kind of people I chose to hang out with and in high school I even slept through a lot of my morning classes because I didn’t understand the purpose of going. I was a C and sometimes D student (except for classes like ceramics that I was passionate about, and occasionally received good grades in English because I loved writing). Unmotivated, I did the bare minimum to make it through, because I didn’t see the point and I didn’t believe I had potential.

Then one day, through the love of friends and family and Gods providence, I realized I was actually good at a few things and had an extreme passion for the human body and serving others. This changed that belief I held and I ended up getting a Masters Degree and now have been in school for over 10 years because I love learning and I am no longer held captive by the belief of being incapable of learning.

That false belief no longer has a hold on me. And my actions follow.

I share this to say, each day we are often presented with two narratives: live in faith, do not be afraid, or live in fear + false beliefs. It is vital we are aware of which we are believing in and what has shaped those beliefs ( this is why it is so transformative to explore your childhood beliefs because they are shaped there) because ultimately, those beliefs shape our actions.

Please hear me:

living in faith for you DOES NOT have to look like what it does for me. It doesn’t mean you have to quit your job and move over seas. It doesn’t mean I am binding the path I chose on to you.

NOT AT ALL. We have been each been given gifts to steward and a path to choose. I just fear many are getting held captive by a false narrative.

And I just want to encourage you to start paying attention to your core beliefs and how they could be trapping you in to a false narrative + impacting the way you are showing up in life.

Can I just encourage you to pause today and ask what false narrative and belief you could be believing + living in? And how it could be shaping your thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors, and even reactions to certain situations?

Compassion + curiosity can lead to massive breakthrough. I hope this inspires you to dig deep today.