Conquering Fear With Faith, Hope, And Charity

Do you wrestle with how to overcome fear? Do your fears cause you shame? Whatever the source of anxiety, when you let it overpower you, it becomes toxic. And when fear becomes unhealthy, you can become paralyzed by all the what-ifs. ​

Fear is a serious subject.
Some fears are rooted in previous experiences. You were threatened, rejected, or hurt. Maybe you have experienced terrifying panic, heart-breaking disappointment, or mortifying embarrassment. And you fear it will happen again. 
Other fears exist because you have a solid ability to imagine the worst—fears of an uncertain future, worries of failure, or fears of loss fall in this category.
For most of humanity, when one first experiences fear, one thinks, “I can handle it. I can man-up, or I can woman-up. I can carry this.” After a while, fear becomes a weight that seems too heavy to bear, so fear paralyzes. 
Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7 to a young pastor living in fear that God has not given humanity a spirit of fear and timidity but power, love, and self-discipline. The Lord has given you several fundamental doctrines to combat your worries. These doctrines become weapons in your arsenal to fight against anxiety and the author of fear—even Satan. These essential doctrines are faith, hope, and charity.
So, how can you be set free from the prison cell of fear? Read on and see the three outlined things you can do to overcome fear.

1. Faith. Faith in Jesus Christ is the very first principle of the three outlined things in the gospel. Faith is power; faith is strong. The more considerable the measure of obedience to God’s laws, the bigger the endowment of faith will be. You can also learn from the Apostle Paul that faith comes by hearing the word of God (see Romans 10:17). Therefore, if you want to increase your faith, you must read the scriptures, study its teachings, and heed the control of the Holy Spirit in your lives. Faith is also a decision. If you want to be immersed and saturated in faith, you must choose to believe and exercise faith. W. Veronica Lisare, in her Spiritual journey through faith and courage will move its readers as they feel her abuse, crippling fear, and low self-esteem to knowing the ultimate love of God. 
2. Hope. Hope is believing in God’s promises to humanity and expecting the Lord to deliver to everyone. Your hope is rooted in the Savior and the Atonement. Hope is not knowledge but the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to all. It is the confidence that if you live according to God’s laws and His words, you will receive desired blessings in the future. It is believing and expecting that your prayers will and answered. It is manifest in optimism, confidence, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.  
Further, despair, or a lack of hope, drains from everyone that is joyful and vibrant and leaves behind the empty remains of what life meant to be. Pain kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. On the other hand, hope breeds faith, optimism, confidence, trust, and happiness. If you have the Holy Ghost with you, you will have hope, expect the Lord to bless you; you will have confidence in His promises to all. Be a person of hope by trusting in God and relying on that His promises are true. Hope is a gift of the Spirit, and as you pray for this gift, your load will be lifted. In return, you will bless and inspire others.
3. Charity (Love). The final weapon in the arsenal is love or charity. Ultimately the greatest of the three principles. Consider that your fears can cause you to become preoccupied with your issues to the point that you become sightless of the needs of those around you. Fear can disconnect you from the Lord’s Spirit and can separate you from other people. If you love God and love your neighbors, you are promised that you will overcome your fears.
Moreover, when you put others’ needs before your own and serve and bless those around you, your problems and fears seem to be put into proper perspective.

In Closing
    Faith, hope, and charity (love)—these three great pillars of the gospel are the great antidote to doubt, confusion, and fear. As you deepen your commitment to these practices and principles, you will feel the Lord’s Spirit in your life and begin to feel your load lighten. Your life will become much happier as you seek to lift the spirits of those around you.