My Fear Defeaters Project

Just thought I'd share a bit!

This week I started a doc I titled "Fear Defeaters Project", which I am using to systematically address some ongoing sources of worry about death.

The idea came after reflecting on how my life-long fear of eternity seems to have been "cured" since October 2019 as a result of a truth that I stumbled on that effectively countered that fear. It was possibly the strongest demonstration in my life of how truth really does set us free.

So I've made a doc that hopes to address other fears of mine related to death, using my experience with "Fear Of Eternity" as a template. Here's what that template looks like-

ETERNITY
Cause Of Fear: An unceasing unknown, boredom with existing
Fear Defeater: Truly loving and truly being loved never gets old. More specifically, my relationship with my boys will never cease forever, and I'd rather have that than the alternative.
Support Verses:
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, ESV) 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Support Reasoning:
No verse in scripture says that parent-child relationships will be nullified or lessened. Asher & Titus have made the choice to believe in Jesus for forgiveness. They will never lose the gift of eternal life. Therefore you will be together with them, with the Lord, forever, without losing or lessening relationship with them. (In fact without sin, those relationships will only be closer and deeper. Nothing in scripture suggests they will be "lost in the crowd" to you.)


So basically I list the fear, its cause, its defeater, support verses and support reasoning.

I imagine it will be a doc that, even when filled out, I will look at repeatedly to refresh my memory and refine my arguments.

Just thought I'd share this here in case it sparks any useful ideas for anyone with similar desires to be rid of specific anxious thoughts.

I was going to make a new topic for this, but it seemed like a good addition to this one.

In my quiet time I've recently felt drawn to remembering 1 Corinthians 10:13 (just a skip and a jump after the weekly waistline verses!).

(ESV) No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

My worrying imagination often wonders "what if such and such happens?" I imagine the worst and my life completely shattering into despair. But as I've considered fear and despair more deeply, I've been reminded that fear and despair are sins, a lack of trust or hope in God and his promises. That being the case, I can be assured that whatever might happen in the future, even though I may be required to endure it, God will provide "the way of escape", something that will allow me to endure it if I choose enduring hope over despair. Despair is not a forgone conclusion in my worst potential circumstances. And if there are such circumstances that WOULD be so terrible for me that I would be unable to choose trust instead of despair, God knows me enough to know my limits, and will keep me from experiencing those circumstances. I will always have the real choice to choose enduring trust and hope rather than despair.

Anyway, that's just something I'm trying to train myself in to better keep my thoughts and worries under control. Thought someone else might be able to relate.