Article October 21, 1996 Issue

Freedom from phobias

Ann L. Grauberger

Sometimes evil can seem to come at us from out of nowhere in the form of a completely irrational fear. This fear may seem so real that we believe we have a big problem to solve or hurdle to overcome. It can be doubly perplexing because often we can't quite put our finger on what the problem is.

Even these perplexing fears—sometimes called phobias—can be dispelled with the light of Christ, Truth, and seen for what they really are: nothing. This light comes into our consciousness with the prayer of persistent affirmation and acknowledgment of our true, spiritual nature as God's idea. Christ Jesus taught—and demonstrated—this true selfhood of man in God's image.

We must be alert not to rehearse problems or to anticipate possible calamities, but instead we need humbly to acknowledge the allness of divine Love. Through such prayer we gain that conviction of Love's allness that inevitably destroys any power fear may claim to have in our lives. As we read in the Bible, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear" (I John 4:18). The recognition of our true identity as the loved child of God enables us to let go of our mental vise grip on the fear. When we truly see that nothing can exist in God's spiritual universe except His goodness, then fear has to dissolve.

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