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Fear in Disguise: Unmasking the Sneaky Saboteur! · Inspired Edge: From Fear to Faith-Filled Living

• 0:00
  Foreign.
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  Welcome to Inspired Edge.
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  From Fear to Faith Filled Living.
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  I'm your host, Chuck Keller.
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  Today I want to talk about something that quietly influences a lot of the decisions that we make in life, and that is fear.
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  Now, when most people hear the word fear, they picture something obvious, something.
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  Something dramatic, maybe standing on the edge of a cliff, speaking in front of a large audience, or facing a major life crisis.
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  But the reality is, fear rarely shows up in such obvious ways.
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  In fact, most of the time, fear is much more subtle.
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  It doesn't usually walk into the room and introduce itself by saying, hello, I'm fear.
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  Instead, fear tends to show up in disguise.
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  And because it's disguised, we often don't recognize that it's influencing our thinking and shaping our decisions.
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  One of the most common ways that fear shows up is through procrastination.
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  You know, something needs to be done.
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  Maybe it's a decision you need to make, a conversation you need to have.
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  Maybe.
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  Maybe it's taking a step towards something God has been putting on your heart, but somehow it keeps getting pushed off.
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  You tell yourself, I'll get to that later.
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  Now isn't the right time, or I just need to think about it a little more now.
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  Sometimes that's legitimate, but many times, procrastination is simply fear in disguise.
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  Another way that fear shows up is through overthinking.
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  Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get stuck analyzing every possible outcome?
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  You start running through scenarios in your mind.
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  What if this goes wrong?
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  What if I make the wrong decision?
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  What if people don't respond well?
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  And before long, the analysis becomes endless?
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  And instead of moving forward, you stay stuck again.
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  It can feel like you're being thoughtful or careful, but sometimes what's really happening is that fear is quietly taking the steering wheel.
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  Fear also shows up through busyness.
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  This one is especially interesting because on the surface, being busy can look productive.
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  You're working hard, you're checking things off your list.
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  You're staying active.
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  But sometimes busyness becomes a way to avoid the things that actually matter most.
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  You stay busy with tasks so you don't have to face the deeper decision or step of faith in front of you.
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  And then there's avoiding difficult conversations.
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  Many people carry conversations that they know they need to have.
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  Conversation with your spouse, with a good friend, with a coworker.
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  Or maybe even a conversation about boundaries that need to be set.
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  But those conversations feel uncomfortable, so we delay them.
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  We tell ourselves it's probably not that big of a deal, or maybe it will work itself out, but Often the real reason is fear.
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  Fear of conflict, fear of rejection, fear of how the other person might respond.
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  Another reason that fear can be so tricky is it often masquerades as wisdom or responsibility.
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  People will say things like, I'm just being cautious, or I'm trying to think everything through.
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  Now, there is certainly value in being thoughtful and wise, but sometimes what feels like caution is actually fear keeping us from stepping forward.
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  And if we're not careful, fear can slowly start shaping the direction of our lives.
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  It will influence the opportunities we pursue, the conversations we avoid, the risks we never take, the calling we never step into.
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  And sometimes we don't even realize it's happening.
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  One of the things I love about Scripture is how honest it is about fear.
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  Throughout the whole Bible, we see people facing uncertainty, facing obstacles, facing situations where the outcome wasn't guaranteed.
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  And one verse that speaks directly into this is Joshua 1:9, which says, be strong and courageous.
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  Do not be frightened.
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  Do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
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  Now, that verse is powerful, but it's important to notice something.
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  God didn't tell Joshua to be courageous because there was nothing to fear.
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  Joshua had a massive responsibility in front of him.
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  He was stepping into leadership after Moses.
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  He was leading the people into unfamiliar territory.
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  There was plenty of uncertainty, but God's instruction was still be strong and courageous.
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  Why?
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  Because courage is not the absence of fear.
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  Courage is choosing to trust God despite uncertainty.
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  It's moving forward with faith even when the outcome isn't fully clear.
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  And that's an important distinction, because if we wait until fear disappears before we act, we may wait a very long time.
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  One of the simple exercises I share with people in coaching is this.
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  What decision might I make if fear were not influencing me right now?
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  It's a powerful question because it helps to bring hidden fears into the light.
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  Sometimes when we pause and really consider it, we realize something.
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  That there's a step that we've been sensing for a while.
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  Or maybe it's reaching out to someone.
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  Maybe it's pursuing an opportunity.
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  Maybe it's setting a boundary.
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  Maybe it's stepping into a calling that God has placed on our heart.
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  But fear has been quietly whispering reasons to stay where things feel safe.
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  And when you ask yourself that question honestly, it can reveal a lot.
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  Not to shame yourself, but to bring awareness.
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  And awareness is often the first step toward freedom.
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  And then when faith enters the picture, something shifts.
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  Faith doesn't eliminate the uncertainty, but it changes where we place our trust.
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  And instead of asking what if this goes wrong, faith begins asking, what if God is leading me here?
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  Instead of focusing only on potential failure, faith begins focusing on God's presence and guidance.
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  Remember that promise in Joshua 1:9 for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
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  And that promise changes the equation because it means we are never stepping forward alone.
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  So let me leave you with a simple reflection today.
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  Take a moment and ask yourself where might fear be quietly shaping your choices right now.
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  Is there something you've been postponing?
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  Something you've been overthinking?
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  A conversation you've been avoiding?
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  Maybe a step of faith that keeps coming to mind, but you've been hesitant to take action?
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  You don't have to solve everything today, but simply bringing awareness to it is a powerful step.
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  And as you reflect on it, remember this Courage doesn't mean fear disappears.
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  Courage means choosing to trust God and move forward anyway.
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  If you've been feeling stuck in burnout fear or just unsure of what your next step should be, I created something that may really help.
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  It's called the Five Life Keys, a Faith based Framework for Breaking Free from Burnout and Fear Based Living.
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  This short guide will help you understand the five areas that often shape our lives the most clarity, confidence, focus, faith and purpose.
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  And it's designed to help you reset your thinking and reconnect with the direction God may be calling you toward.
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  You can download it for free through the link in the show notes.
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  Thanks for listening today to Inspired Edge From Fear to Faith Filled Living.
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  If this episode encouraged you, be sure to follow the show and share it with someone who could use the same encouragement.
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  And remember, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.
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  I'll see you in the next episode.