Posted on

Do Not Fear Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

We are hardwired to seek comfort. For most of human history, this instinct kept us alive. Being uncomfortable from hunger meant you were starving. Your body demanded rest or it would break down from overuse. You sought acceptance from your tribe because being an outcast meant death—whether from enemy tribes, predators, or the psychological toll of isolation.

But here’s the problem: we don’t live in that world anymore. When was the last time you were chased by a saber-toothed tiger? Yet we still operate as if we are. We still avoid discomfort at all costs, and ironically, this instinct that once saved us is now killing us—physically, mentally, and spiritually.

The philosopher Voltaire once said, “History is filled with the sounds of silken slippers going downstairs and wooden shoes coming up.” Hard circumstances create great figures, nations, and empires. Overindulgence in comfort leads to their demise.

Continue reading → Do Not Fear Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone
Posted on

Do Not Fear Impossible Situations

When You’re Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place

There’s a legendary story from the Korean War about General Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller. His battalion of Marines found themselves completely surrounded by enemy forces—outnumbered 29 to 1, outgunned, and out of options.

Instead of panicking, Chesty declared: “They are in front of us, behind us, and we are flanked on both sides by an enemy that outnumbers us 29 to one. They can’t get away from us now.”

He and his men fought their way out while losing very few soldiers.

Most of us would panic in impossible situations like that. When we feel surrounded and pressed in on every side, when every path seems like the wrong choice, we tend to panic, retreat, or give up.

But the apostle Paul had a different perspective: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. We are persecuted, but not abandoned. We are struck down, but not destroyed.”

Continue reading → Do Not Fear Impossible Situations
Posted on

Do Not Fear Your Own Insecurities: Lessons from Moses

When Fear Warps Our Reality

We all know the feeling. That coat draped over a chair becomes a menacing figure in the dark. The small spider on the bathroom wall transforms into a life-threatening monster. Fear has a way of distorting our perception, making things appear bigger, scarier, and more threatening than they actually are.

A heavy metal band called Our Last Night says the acronym F-E-A-R stands for “false evidence appearing real.” That’s exactly what fear does—it warps our reality and makes us act irrationally.

But some of our biggest fears aren’t external at all. They’re not about spiders, snakes, or heights. Sometimes our most paralyzing fears are internal—fears about ourselves.

Continue reading → Do Not Fear Your Own Insecurities: Lessons from Moses
Posted on

FLY AWAY AND FIND REST: Understanding Anxiety from a Faith-Based Perspective

In our fast-paced world, anxiety has become increasingly prevalent, affecting millions of Americans each year. As someone who has experienced anxiety firsthand, I understand the challenges of addressing mental health issues with both sensitivity and hope. Too often, well-meaning people can do more harm than good when discussing these topics, leaving those who struggle feeling worse about their condition or without hope for improvement.

The Reality of Anxiety Today

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting approximately 40 million adults—roughly 18% of the population. Perhaps more alarming is the significant increase in anxiety among children and college students since the 1950s. Today’s high school students often experience anxiety levels that would have been considered severe enough for hospitalization in previous decades, yet they’re expected to continue with their daily activities as if nothing were wrong.

Continue reading → FLY AWAY AND FIND REST: Understanding Anxiety from a Faith-Based Perspective
Posted on

Biblical Enneagram Types: SIXES

According to some Enneagram teachers, there are probably more Sixes than any other Type. The world needs Sixes, also called Loyalists, to ensure that the community is preserved and that we’re prepared when disaster strikes.

Trust is a big issue for Sixes. If you have earned their trust – as a leader, friend, or spouse – then they will be with you through thick and thin. They won’t jump ship. But Sixes can also be some of the more skeptical people in your life. Often Sixes find themselves playing “Devil’s Advocate” – asking probing or even accusatory questions. They aren’t purposefully trying to be obnoxious or derail the whole system. They just want to know that those in charge have everything under control and have planned for anything that can and will go wrong.

Perfect gift for the Sixes in your life!

Sixes are worst-case-scenario thinkers. They live in the world of “mights”, “coulds”, and hypotheticals. If there ever is a real disaster or problem, you want a Six around because they’ve already gone through the scenario multiple times in their head.

Sixes are more likely to actually count the number of rows to the exit on the airplane and pay attention to the safety briefing before takeoff “just in case.”

There is safety in numbers. Always be prepared. These are the mantras that get a Six through the day.

Every number on the Enneagram lives in some sort of inner tension. For Sixes, that tension comes in their relation to authority. As children Sixes picked up on the fact that the adults in charge can’t always be trusted. So as adults they are inherently skeptical of those in power. At the same time, through, their greatest need is a sense of safety and security. Some Sixes end up trusting too strongly in human authority figures and are inevitably let down at some point. Other Sixes end up distrusting nearly all authority figures in order to protect themselves from that same disappointment. This is the difference between “Phobic” and “Counterphobic” Sixes. All Sixes must deal with their fear. Phobic Sixes tend to have more of a “flight” response, whereas Counterphobic Sixes have a more aggressive “fight” response.

ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH

 An excellent example of a Six in the Bible is Simon Peter.

Peter was the foremost among the disciples, not because he was the most loving or most knowledgable, but because he was the most committed to Jesus and the group. Peter latched onto Jesus as an authority figure like none other. Peter definitely had his share of screwups – recorded for us to laugh at 2,000 years later! – but he is also the one primarily entrusted with carrying on Jesus’ mission after the resurrection and ascension.

Who was the first to confess true belief in who Jesus was? Peter.

Who played “Devil’s Advocate” when Jesus told the disciples he was going to be killed? Peter.

Who jumped out of the relative safety of the boat during the storm into the certain terror of the raging sea in order to be near Jesus? Peter.

Who was the closest friend and confidant of Jesus? Peter.

Who was the leader of the disciples? Peter.

Who was willing to fight and die for Jesus? Peter.

When push came to shove, who gave into fear time and time again? Peter.

Who did Jesus want the women to specifically tell about his resurrection? Peter.

Who was able to overcome his fear and deliver one of the most powerful sermons in recorded history? Peter.

Peter attached himself to Jesus, but he also had his own fears and anxieties to overcome. Peter had a hard time coming to grips with the fact that Jesus was going to leave them. When Jesus said “let not your hearts be troubled – you believe in God, believe also in me,” I’m sure he was speaking directly to Peter. As a Six, Peter needed as much reassurance as he could get that everything was going to be ok. Jesus is basically telling Peter, “You’ve trusted me this far. Trust me a little more.”

All those times that Jesus had to say, “Do not be afraid,” I’m sure he was speaking directly to Peter.

That conversation that Jesus and Peter had on the beach after his resurrection always gets to me. Three times Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” And three times Peter replied, “Yes, Lord. You know I love you.” Jesus’ response to Peter’s affirmation of love is an instruction to take care of the others. Jesus made it clear that he wasn’t planning on sticking around for a long time. He had to leave. But he promised that he would not leave them as orphans.

Side note: I think one of the worst things that can happen to a teenager in the church is to go through multiple youth ministers over the course of a few short years. Teens need someone who is going to be there for them through it all. It takes a few years for them to trust their youth minister, and by then he’s already moving on to the next church. That can be absolutely devastating, especially for Sixes who already have trust issues.

Back to the point. Jesus is redirecting Peter away from a single point of loyalty to a more group-oriented commitment. Jesus is encouraging Peter to step up and commit not just to Jesus but to the group. Jesus knew that Peter, the Loyalist, was going to be the glue that held the group together.

Peter was stronger than he knew. Jesus saw that from the beginning. That’s why he changed his name from Simon to Peter in the first place. Peter was going to be that solid bedrock, that foundational member of the group. It took some time for Peter to see in himself what Jesus had seen all along.

Sixes, you must know that you are stronger than you think. You are more capable than you think. We value your leadership, your loyalty, your commitment, and even your questions. You are the bedrock of our churches and families and organizations. Without you we would all tend to simply drift apart from each other. You keep us grounded and secure. You help provide us with the security you so desire for yourselves.

Sixes, hear again the words of the Master, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God – believe also in me.”
______________________________

Check out the song “Six” by Sleeping At Last