Laughing at Our Fears
by Marilynn Chadwick
“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”
—Proverbs 31:25 NLT
One of the things I love most about my husband, David, is the way he would encourage our children to laugh at the very things they were afraid of. He referred to their fears as “fret flies.”
Once, when our daughter, Bethany, was very young, he challenged her to conquer her fear of riding Ferris wheels. With Daddy cheering her on, she was overjoyed to finally defeat another “fret fly!”
I’m glad David is not a worrier. But that doesn’t mean he’s unaware of danger. He just doesn’t overthink imaginary scenarios. What’s more, he doesn’t spend needless energy looking back at the “if onlys” or ahead to the “what ifs” of life.
Like any pastor, he’s had to deal with all kinds of tragedies and emergencies throughout our years of ministry. But I’ve seen firsthand how his faith has strengthened him. I’ve often told him that the greatest gift he has to give others is his faith. And sometimes his laughter!
David is right. It is incredibly liberating to laugh in the face of fear. Laughter is a healthy way to lighten up. I wonder if the secret is to have such strong faith in the Lord that we can laugh at our fears. We may discover greater joy than we ever thought possible when we conquer our fret flies.
Discover God’s path to a better marriage
A key to making your marriage the best it can be isn’t a secret. God commands spouses to give honor to one another – and blesses them for doing so!
David Chadwick and his wife, Marilynn, unpack the biblical meaning of honor in these two special books, Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Husband and Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Wife.
You’ll find humor, humility and a passion for Christ that will inspire you to love your spouse in new ways that:
- Reignite the “spark” you remember
- Deepen trust and the intimacy you long for
- Connect you to God’s original and joy-filled intent for marriage
Both books are our way of saying thanks for your gift below to help share Jesus and the life-changing new perspective He gives.
For more from Moments of Hope, visit us at MomentsofHope.org.
