Quote Contemplations 

 

“Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.” – Japanese Proverb

 

            A dear sweet Christian woman from my past had a saying that I found to be true. It was “Truth is truth wherever you find it. Just eat the meat and pull out the bones.” The above proverb falls under that category.

The Samurai Code suggests that fear is a mental construct rather than a physical reality.  Simply put, a ‘mental construct’ is something that is constructed by one’s mind. Our imagination can be very active as we invent in our minds scenarios that may or may not take place. We don’t KNOW that they will but the possibility of a certain thing actually happening can generate fear in one’s mind. This is how anxiety takes place, and it’s purely mental. 

I know about anxiety because back in the ‘80s I was dealing with a lot of very stressful situations at work and at home. Some were my doing and some were part of the rigors of my job. Fear is not a fun thing to have to deal with. I’ve been on a couple different prescriptions to help deal with it. I am also claustrophobic. 

I know personally how irrational fear can be at times. I once described a full blown panic attack as having your body react as if there was a loaded gun directly in front of your face, yet nothing is there. So now you can see why I was attracted to the proverb above.

Dealing with fear can become very difficult at times. This particular proverb shows us that the level of intensity your fear is determined by a person’s thoughts or perceptions.

I firmly believe the following statement to be true: “a person’s perception IS their reality. Your mind can convince you that something which isn’t true or real actually IS. Your mind can be a powerful force for either good or evil, whichever way your tendencies lie. 

            This proverb implies that a person can have power over their fears thru mental discipline, so that anxiety doesn’t dominate their minds. Many times our fears are imaginary; a figment of our imagination. Ask the Lord to strengthen your mental discipline so you can overcome the fears in your life. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries