Fear by Kari Bulman
August 4, 2025
I am a Disneyland fanatic. I was born and raised in Southern California and have spent many days playing at Disneyland with my family and friends. The musical scores, the aesthetic, the themes, and, of course, the CHURROS all hold a nostalgic place in my heart. I love it all! I wear the gear, I stay all day, I know the Disney secrets, I ride all the rides. I am an official Disney geek, and I am proud of it. During one of my recent Disney adventures, as I floated in a sky-blue gondola through It's a Small World, the lyrics of the theme song jumped out at me:
"It's a world of laughter, a world of tears. It's a world of hopes, and a world of fears.
There's so much that we share, that it's time we're aware, it's a small world after all."
– Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
Did you catch that? "It's a world of hopes, and a world of fears." On one of Disney’s most iconic rides - celebrating commonalities across cultures - fear is recognized as a connecting human experience. Isn’t it wild? Even in a ride meant to unite the world with song and sweetness, fear still gets a verse. It is an emotion that we are all too familiar with. It is unequivocally part of the human experience.
Some people seem to have the ability to embrace fear. Whether that means sitting on the couch watching a horror movie or traipsing through a haunted house, some people seek out scary situations. Like the real-life ghost hunters who purposely place themselves in old, abandoned, historical buildings in search of the supernatural and an adrenaline rush. No, thank you!
Others seek to control fear. The extreme sport participants or influencers who attempt death-defying stunts, coming face to face with their greatest fears and pushing past them. They enjoy a sense of accomplishment until they realize that their audience will always be waiting for the next stunt. Then, they must choose: face the fear of disappointing their audience or the fear of escalating danger. Inevitably, fear can never be eliminated entirely from this life.
Others, like me, avoid confronting fear. However, I still enjoy a good roller coaster - screaming my way through until the end! This was not always the case. I was the child who would wait in line at the theme park - and then chicken out at the last moment. It wasn't until my own kids became teenagers that I pushed myself to truly overcome my fear of roller coasters. Motivated by not wanting to miss out on sharing an adventure with them, I told them I would ride whatever they rode. In my mind, I rehearsed the statement, "I can do anything for two minutes. I can do anything for two minutes." It turns out that it's generally true.
Fear - whether we embrace it or run from it – we all know what it feels like. The Bible has much to say about fear. As someone who has struggled with fear throughout my life, I am grateful for God's repeated and deliberate emphasis on the subject. It is apparent that God understands our human nature and knew that fear would be a constant human battle. Over seventy times in Scripture, God tells us, "Fear not." Verses like Isaiah 41:10, "Fear not, for I am with you" (The New King James Bible -NKJV), and 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (NKJV). God gives us instructions on how to face our fears throughout His word!
The book of 2 Timothy is a letter, written by the Apostle Paul, to his young disciple and companion, Timothy. Timothy was facing the challenges of confronting false teachers and possible persecution. In 2 Tim 1:7, the Greek word for fear, deilias, is translated as timidity, which fits this context more accurately. However, the root of deilias, deos, is defined as dread. Paul is making a profound statement acknowledging that fear, dread, and timidity are spiritual in nature.
In fact, the phrase "spirit of fear" or "spirit of timidity" directly implies that there are spiritual forces attached to fear. In striking contrast, Paul goes on to say that God has given us a spirit of "power and of love and of a sound mind." Paul’s encouragement to Timothy continues to hold life-changing spiritual truth for us today. Fear is not from God, and God has equipped us to walk in power, love, and a sound mind instead. This is good news! My God desires to teach me, and you, to live contrary to fear. When I meditate on this, everything within me wants to learn this fully and completely, but the practical, everyday living out of this reality is more challenging than I would like to admit.
Fear is something that God has been repeatedly freeing me from for the past fifteen years. One layer at a time, he has patiently guided me through the process of being set free and, consequently, learning new ways to function without fear at the helm. I am so grateful for my Good Shepherd who continues to lead me daily towards freedom.
How about you? Have you struggled to find the courage to do what you know God is calling you to do? Have you felt that God was asking you to step into something new, only to find yourself frozen in fear? What can you do to take a step of faith today?
