Meditations on God

When we experience fear, it is quite often a sign that what we are doing is important. 

If what we are doing is of no real consequence, if there is no risk involved, or if it simply does not matter to us or to others, there is no reason to be afraid. 

But, when what we are doing matters, when our success or failure has consequences, even if those consequences are only emotional, of course we will be frightened. 

It is quite likely, in fact, that the more important our task, the more fear we will experience as we face it. 

Important actions always come with the risk of failure. 

And, failure feels awful. 

Failure, itself, is not really what we are afraid of, however. 

We are most frightened by all that comes with failure. 

The embarrassment, humiliation, and shame we may experience because of our failure is what we are truly afraid of. 

In other words, we fear not being loved and supported in our failure. 

We are afraid that we will be ridiculed, shunned, and abandoned for it. 

We fear that our inherent worth as a human being rests solely on our success or lack thereof in this exact moment and this specific endeavor, and, if we fail, that we will not be given a second chance. 

These are very real fears. 

No one can promise us that they will not come true. 

If we let this stop us, however, we will never do anything worthwhile.