On March 4, 1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt was sworn into office as the thirty second president of the United States. It was a difficult and dark time for America, families were loosing their savings as banks failed, farmers were loosing their farms and homes to foreclosure and unemployment was at record highs that have not been seen since. To help reassure the American people Roosevelt uttered the following words during his first inaugural address to reassure the people.
Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.
Today, many of us face difficult times, similar to what our parents and grandparents faced back in the early 1930’s. During the past two years we have witnessed high unemployment, several hundred bank failures, along with the closure of household name companies that we grew up with and thousands of home foreclosures, our very livelihood as real estate agents has been threatened and the way we have done business has changed. When our new President takes office in January, seventy Six years will have past since Roosevelt’s historic and first inauguration speech.
Author John Maxwell in his book The Difference Maker writes; every generation in human history has experienced fear. It goes all the way back to Adam and Eve. After they disobeyed God and He called to them, Adam answered, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Fear is part human nature, it always has been.
Fear is a destructive force in ones life. The root of the word fear comes from the old English word faer, literally meaning a sudden attack, and is akin to the Old High German word fara meaning ambush or snare. That is what fear does to us; it attacks us and makes us captive.
In The Difference Maker John Maxwell tells a story of a census taker who came across many “Beware of Dog” signs as he was driving down a country road. At the gate of the last address on his list, he saw another “Beware of Dog” sign as he entered a farmyard near a barn.
Afraid to get out of his car, he honked his horn, and soon a man came out of the barn with a small Chihuahua at his heels.
When the census taker was done asking his questions and filling out his paperwork, he mentioned how many beware of dog signs he had seen and asked, “Is this the dog all the signs are about.
“Yup, sure is,” the farmer replied, picking up the friendly dog.
“But that dog couldn’t keep anyone away.”
I know said the farmer, “but the signs sure do.” The lesson is that fear is like a warning sign that makes us afraid of a dog that cannot hurt us!
Harry Truman thirty third president of the United States, remarked, “The worst danger we face is the danger of being paralyzed by doubts and fears. This danger is brought on by those who abandon faith and sneer at hope. It is brought on by those who spread cynicism and distrust and try to blind us to our great chance to do good for all mankind.”
Fear and anxiety are deliberating emotions. They are interest paid in advance on a debt you may never owe. And they undermine faith in ourselves, in others, and in God.
Fear /Faith
Weakens / Strengthens
Imprisons / Liberates
Paralyses / Empowers
Disheartens / Encourages
Sickens / Heals
The next time you begin to feel fear address it immediately and you will conquer it. And remember the next time fear begins to take you captive that it’s not from God, as He takes no prisoners.
Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.
Today, many of us face difficult times, similar to what our parents and grandparents faced back in the early 1930’s. During the past two years we have witnessed high unemployment, several hundred bank failures, along with the closure of household name companies that we grew up with and thousands of home foreclosures, our very livelihood as real estate agents has been threatened and the way we have done business has changed. When our new President takes office in January, seventy Six years will have past since Roosevelt’s historic and first inauguration speech.
Author John Maxwell in his book The Difference Maker writes; every generation in human history has experienced fear. It goes all the way back to Adam and Eve. After they disobeyed God and He called to them, Adam answered, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Fear is part human nature, it always has been.
Fear is a destructive force in ones life. The root of the word fear comes from the old English word faer, literally meaning a sudden attack, and is akin to the Old High German word fara meaning ambush or snare. That is what fear does to us; it attacks us and makes us captive.
In The Difference Maker John Maxwell tells a story of a census taker who came across many “Beware of Dog” signs as he was driving down a country road. At the gate of the last address on his list, he saw another “Beware of Dog” sign as he entered a farmyard near a barn.
Afraid to get out of his car, he honked his horn, and soon a man came out of the barn with a small Chihuahua at his heels.
When the census taker was done asking his questions and filling out his paperwork, he mentioned how many beware of dog signs he had seen and asked, “Is this the dog all the signs are about.
“Yup, sure is,” the farmer replied, picking up the friendly dog.
“But that dog couldn’t keep anyone away.”
I know said the farmer, “but the signs sure do.” The lesson is that fear is like a warning sign that makes us afraid of a dog that cannot hurt us!
Harry Truman thirty third president of the United States, remarked, “The worst danger we face is the danger of being paralyzed by doubts and fears. This danger is brought on by those who abandon faith and sneer at hope. It is brought on by those who spread cynicism and distrust and try to blind us to our great chance to do good for all mankind.”
Fear and anxiety are deliberating emotions. They are interest paid in advance on a debt you may never owe. And they undermine faith in ourselves, in others, and in God.
Fear /Faith
Weakens / Strengthens
Imprisons / Liberates
Paralyses / Empowers
Disheartens / Encourages
Sickens / Heals
The next time you begin to feel fear address it immediately and you will conquer it. And remember the next time fear begins to take you captive that it’s not from God, as He takes no prisoners.
1 comment:
I can relate.
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