Tolu Falode: Faith Filled Fear

Faith is defined as complete trust or confidence in something or someone while fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. So how do you walk in faith when your path is filled with fear? How do you face your challenges when each one gives you a shudder of despair?

The truth is one step taken in faith, is a step defeated in fear. The two comingle-depending on which one you choose to use as a mode to converse.

When you walk in faith, you defeat fear-because you see, when you activate that step of truth, the whisper of lies grows a bit more dim-and that’s all faith truly is-taking a step filled stride ignoring the warnings your heart may give off inside.

You know the familiar sound right? Like, “what if it doesn’t work out”? “What if I don’t make it?” But in order to defeat that voice you need to talk back with a firm sound of affirmation-you can speak through negativity with a sword of truth that hosts a lot of positivity. For instance when faced with that thought that threatens to throw your dreams of balance and defeat them with nightmares of potential loss, you can answer that hungry voice with a whisper of truth; we all know we host inside-you know that drive that pushes us to keep going despite the failed tries. You can answer from that space because that position is one of courage-when you walk in that truth, fear has no grasp over you.

In that space, you know the truth. You know you can do what you set your mind to. You know you have the courage to speak through all the thoughts that try to defeat you. In that space-you know.

You know you have nothing to fear, because you can say, at least, “I tried.” More words than those talking with fear have ever said in their lives. You can say, “At least I had the courage to stand up for what I truly believe deep inside.” You know you can speak conviction and confirmation to your surroundings. And fear is afraid of that side of you. And so it tries to cower you in a stagnant gaze so you cannot move. You know those thoughts that suddenly fill your head with possibilities of defeat and despair or a nightmare of embarrassment if your visions fail to translate into testimonies of walking realities? That is the gaze of fear-and the more you stare at it, the more it holds you transfixed in that paralyzed position of pondering on thoughts of defeat.

But listen-each step is an inch taken in faith-if you manage to move from that hungry gaze, you will have entered into a dimension of faith-where you can fight for your thoughts to remain on the positive visions and dreams that you alone have the knowledge to speak.

It is faith filled fear. No one makes a massive move without at least an inkling of fear, not one single person in time has passed this test without facing the gaze of dread-the thoughts are there to test you not to torment you. The shudder of missed opportunities you visualize as you contemplate your next move, is not meant to take over the breath of dreams that you have sustained and managed to keep alive-you know, as you work and pretend everything is okay-as you smile but secretly host a different dimension of faith. Those thoughts you can see so clearly as you move through the mirror of your dreams-when they show you a reflection of who you were called to be. That is the person you need to be. That is the person you hunger to release.

But when you stop and stare at the eyes of fear-it’s a dangerous place where dreams die if they are left unprotected by your faith filled glare. The trick with this test that so many fail, is pretending they do not wish to transform into their dreams-pretending those thoughts that dance around your head-you know the ones-those visions of succeeding in your true calling, your true atmosphere of influence-that place where your talent speaks, where purpose walks freely-that place you host in your head-that is where fear crucifies them before they face the platform of birth.

And if you are not careful, if you fail to nurture your dreams, you will give life to the wrong monster your faith was meant to defeat-that monster is fear. For each person it has a name, it may be a fear of failure, but even that has different dimensions in its generation. Or maybe it’s a fear of commitment, or just think about the thought-it could be a fear of rejection-that is a trigger fear plays with a lot in the minds of those who just discovered their voice.

But you see that sound you use from within-that silent voice with which you speak-those thoughts that roam around your head waiting impatiently to show your true face to your family and friends-those opportunities you long to take but are too afraid-well, that is when you glare too long at fear.

Just think about it for a second-do you know anyone in history that has faced success without a conversation with failure? Any of your influences, those musicians you listen to late at night, those books you cannot put down because they provide a safe retreat for your thoughts to relax-they were written and woven with hands that had to twist and fight with fear through sticking stubbornly with faith-they held the sword of truth and used it to speak against the lies of defeat as they stared at fear’s gaze.

So why do you still wait? Why are you still pondering on your next big move when it requires a couple of steps? A couple of inches spent growing your craft, a couple of hours spent rehearing those lines-why wait to give birth to your faith?

Stop conversing with fear-it has killed many dreams before they faced a birth filled release of fresh air. We all recognize its stench-because it leaves decay in its wake-it has a particular scent-the scent of regret, the taste of bitterness, the silent cold sliver of isolation it breathes when it walks through the door of your dreams-this time face it. You have nothing to lose.

Don’t be like old couples who regret the days of their youth-when they were free to move and explore and do the things they were called to bring forth-don’t fall into that space of recluse. Another thing though, is they too hold the hands of fear in a more subtle stance they don’t even realize because they have danced with it for so long it has birthed so many lies into their lives-as long as you breathe, as long as you live, you hold the power to step into faith and defeat the false power of fear’s gaze.