Overcoming Fears
I Can Choose to Be Brave
Arie is a strong level 5 gymnast desperately trying to get to level 7. But she cannot master the dismount – a flyaway – which is required before she moves up. She has failed at landing it so many times that she has developed a defeatist attitude along with a giant-sized fear of being an utter failure.
Does your child struggle with fear of failure?
Possible signs that a child is fearing failure include:
- giving up before they even begin, preferring to avoid the possibility of failure which may lead to the belief that they don’t just fail at something, but a failure is who they are.
- getting upset and down on themselves when they don’t get something right the first time, resulting in anxiety and poor performance.
- putting excessive amounts of time and energy into something because they are so terribly afraid of failure
Fears in general can result from a number of things: difficult relationships, a loss of something important, an encounter with danger, watching something frightening…there are many! Regardless of its source, an unhealthy fear usually begins with a thought. Our minds are like soil; the thoughts we plant in them will yield a harvest – a harvest of lies or a harvest of truth.
It is crucial that children learn to think thoughts based in truth. Truth is found in God’s Word, the Bible. God often tells us not to fear. But He also tells us why.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
Just like an earthy father, God will be with us and help us when we need it!
Courage and Bravery
Courage begins with a choice to think the right thoughts. Our behavior is the result of what we think. A child who continually dwells on shortcomings, failures, and unkind remarks from others will go into adulthood handicapped, fearing failure and limiting his growth personally and professionally.
Bravery is an action that follows courageous thoughts. We are helping students grasp the concept of courage and bravery this season beginning with our declaration of truth. “I am brave! God is bigger than my fear. I am safe in His loving hands.”
Failure IS a part of life! It reveals weaknesses that need to be addressed. It needs to be expected and faced with humility, courage, and determination if we want to live a meaningful life full of accomplishments. Arie will learn these lessons in our story, ” A Brave Victory.” Listen HERE.
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