"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
Sorrento is an Italian city located on the Mediterranean coastline south of Naples. Situated on the Sorrentine Peninsula overlooking the Bay of Naples, this picturesque city is home to magnificent views, delicious cuisine, and luscious native lemons. Nestled in the heart of the city is the Old Town.
Weaving among the tourists, I pop into shop after shop, making a few purchases. Linen is a bargain here. Lemon products, like lemon candy, lemon chocolate, and limoncello are abundant. After making my purchases, with camera in tow, I exit Old Town. The city’s main piazza or square is just steps away from this old, more touristy section of town. Although I’ve been to this piazza several times, I pause with my eye pressing into the viewfinder to snap one more photo.
Poised to press the shutter button, I’m startled by the buzzing sound of a kazoo right at my ear. I turn to discover the face of a clown just inches from mine! I turn and walk in the opposite direction and stop to frame the photo again. There’s a tap on my shoulder. I push pass the clown, glaring as I go, and blurt out in English to leave me alone. (While I do know how to say that in French, I only wish I knew how to say that in Italian!) I snap my photo and as I walk away from the scene, I realize the clown has been putting on a show for the people sitting at the sidewalk café just behind me. I’m too annoyed to care. Contemplating my escape either to walk back into the familiar Old Town or to embark on new territory, I choose the latter and am rewarded by a gorgeous view of the bay.
Coulrophobia is defined as an irrational fear of clowns. Although I don’t have coulrophobia, I can’t say that I like clowns. The fact that they remain anonymous under their makeup and act unpredictably is enough to make me uncomfortable around them. Add to that a sense that their faces look somewhat human, but not completely, increases my discomfort.
That day in Sorrento reminds me that our fears can sneak up on us and startle us. They reach out and tap us on the shoulder. Like the clown in Sorrento, they relentlessly pursue us, vying for our attention with the upmost persistence.
While mine may be different from yours, we all have our fears. To be afraid is to be human. Fear keeps us locked in the familiar, too afraid to step out into something new. It prevents us from doing what we need or want to do. How do we keep fear from paralyzing us? How can we overcome fear and experience peace instead?
On the night before He suffered death on the cross, Jesus says to His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Although Jesus is preparing His disciples for His physical death and resurrection, He tells them that His Holy Spirit will be with them always. They do not need to fear.
Like the first disciples, we as believers have the Holy Spirit within us. While some deep-seated fears may require professional help, many of our fears can be overcome through awareness, prayer, and simply facing them. Awareness of fear is the first step. Praying for strength to overcome fear unleashes the Holy Spirit’s power into our life. Confronting our fears strips them of their power over us. Just as I looked the Sorrento clown in the face and told him to stop bothering me, we can confront our fear and walk away in courage and strength.
Fear does not have to paralyze us and keep us from living the life we are meant to live. We can experience peace. As I discovered that day in Sorrento, we can acknowledge fear is preventing us from doing what we want to do. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can choose to not let fear control us. We can face our fear and step out in the power of the Holy Spirit into a new place, filled with beauty and peace.
Lord, show me where fear controls me. Help me confront my fears. Calm the fear in me as I rely on Your Holy Spirit to free me from fear and to lead me to a place of peace. Amen.
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Text and photograph copyright © 2018 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the Bay of Naples from Sorrento.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Sorrento is an Italian city located on the Mediterranean coastline south of Naples. Situated on the Sorrentine Peninsula overlooking the Bay of Naples, this picturesque city is home to magnificent views, delicious cuisine, and luscious native lemons. Nestled in the heart of the city is the Old Town.
Weaving among the tourists, I pop into shop after shop, making a few purchases. Linen is a bargain here. Lemon products, like lemon candy, lemon chocolate, and limoncello are abundant. After making my purchases, with camera in tow, I exit Old Town. The city’s main piazza or square is just steps away from this old, more touristy section of town. Although I’ve been to this piazza several times, I pause with my eye pressing into the viewfinder to snap one more photo.
Poised to press the shutter button, I’m startled by the buzzing sound of a kazoo right at my ear. I turn to discover the face of a clown just inches from mine! I turn and walk in the opposite direction and stop to frame the photo again. There’s a tap on my shoulder. I push pass the clown, glaring as I go, and blurt out in English to leave me alone. (While I do know how to say that in French, I only wish I knew how to say that in Italian!) I snap my photo and as I walk away from the scene, I realize the clown has been putting on a show for the people sitting at the sidewalk café just behind me. I’m too annoyed to care. Contemplating my escape either to walk back into the familiar Old Town or to embark on new territory, I choose the latter and am rewarded by a gorgeous view of the bay.
Coulrophobia is defined as an irrational fear of clowns. Although I don’t have coulrophobia, I can’t say that I like clowns. The fact that they remain anonymous under their makeup and act unpredictably is enough to make me uncomfortable around them. Add to that a sense that their faces look somewhat human, but not completely, increases my discomfort.
That day in Sorrento reminds me that our fears can sneak up on us and startle us. They reach out and tap us on the shoulder. Like the clown in Sorrento, they relentlessly pursue us, vying for our attention with the upmost persistence.
While mine may be different from yours, we all have our fears. To be afraid is to be human. Fear keeps us locked in the familiar, too afraid to step out into something new. It prevents us from doing what we need or want to do. How do we keep fear from paralyzing us? How can we overcome fear and experience peace instead?
On the night before He suffered death on the cross, Jesus says to His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Although Jesus is preparing His disciples for His physical death and resurrection, He tells them that His Holy Spirit will be with them always. They do not need to fear.
Like the first disciples, we as believers have the Holy Spirit within us. While some deep-seated fears may require professional help, many of our fears can be overcome through awareness, prayer, and simply facing them. Awareness of fear is the first step. Praying for strength to overcome fear unleashes the Holy Spirit’s power into our life. Confronting our fears strips them of their power over us. Just as I looked the Sorrento clown in the face and told him to stop bothering me, we can confront our fear and walk away in courage and strength.
Fear does not have to paralyze us and keep us from living the life we are meant to live. We can experience peace. As I discovered that day in Sorrento, we can acknowledge fear is preventing us from doing what we want to do. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can choose to not let fear control us. We can face our fear and step out in the power of the Holy Spirit into a new place, filled with beauty and peace.
Lord, show me where fear controls me. Help me confront my fears. Calm the fear in me as I rely on Your Holy Spirit to free me from fear and to lead me to a place of peace. Amen.
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
Text and photograph copyright © 2018 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the Bay of Naples from Sorrento.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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