Page 22 - Updated workbook 2-13-2016_Neat

Chapter Five

67 25 Notice that the word "fear" is bracketed alongside the
67 26 difficulties with Mr. Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer,
67 27 and the wife. This short word somehow touches about
67 28 every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding
67 29 thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through
67 30 with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which
67 31 brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But
67 32 did not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling? Sometimes
68 1 we think fear ought to be classed with stealing. It
68 2 seems to cause more trouble.
68 3 We reviewed our fears thoroughly. We put them on
68 4 paper, even though we had no resentment in connec-
68 5 tion with them. We asked ourselves why we had
68 6 them. Wasn't it because self-reliance failed us? Self-

68 7 reliance was good as far as it went, but it didn't go far
68 8 enough. Some of us once had great self-confidence,
68 9 but it didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other.
68 10 When it made us cocky, it was worse.
68 11 Perhaps there is a better way, we think so. For we
68 12 are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and
68 13 relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than
68 14 our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role
68 15 He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think
68 16 He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He
68 17 enable us to match calamity with serenity.
68 18 We never apologize to anyone for depending upon

68 19 our Creator. We can laugh at those who think spiritu-
68 20 ality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way
68 21 of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means
68 22 courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust
68 23 their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we
68 24 let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We
68 25 ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to
68 26 what He would have us be. At once, we commence to
68 27 outgrow fear.

Fourth Step Workshop Dec 5, 2015
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