Week Seventeen: Fear, Shame & Guilt. April 23 – Fear: The Monster Under the Bed
He who has overcome his fears will truly be free. Aristotle
Gregg’s Reflection
Fear paralyzes us, keeps us from taking risks, has us walking around waiting for the other shoe to drop. Guilt says ‘I did a bad thing.’ Shame says, ‘I’m a bad person.’ Shame never comes from God, in fact, it separates us from God, making it hard to believe God loves us. Read on and find freedom. Blessings
Robert Fritz taught that some of the most persistent patterns in life are fear-based structures, sustained by imagined dangers. Rosalind Fritz once told me, “People walk through life waiting for the other shoe to drop,” and I’ve seen this truth over and over—in my own story and in the lives of those I’ve coached. Fear grows best in the dark; it thrives on avoidance.
When I think about my own fears, I picture the monster under my childhood bed. For years I wouldn’t dare look, certain it was there. Many of us carry adult versions of that fear—past wounds, anxious projections, unspoken doubts—that we refuse to face. But fears brought into the light lose their power; they shrink when examined with honesty and grace.
Facing our fear isn’t about being reckless—it’s about refusing to be ruled by the imagined catastrophe that keeps us small. Courage begins with naming the monster and inviting God into that dark space. It’s then that freedom begins to take root.
Scripture
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
Psalm 56:3
Ancient Quotes
He who has overcome his fears will truly be free.
Aristotle
Modern Quotes
Only people who have moved beyond their wounded ego and the need to control all outcomes, only those practiced at letting go, can see fear for the impostor that it is.
Richard Rohr, The Wisdom Pattern, p. 163–164
Fear is a liar. It promises safety but delivers bondage. Faith is the courage to open your eyes.
Max Lucado, Fearless, p. 37
Journaling Prompts
- What “monster under the bed” have you been avoiding in your own life?
- How does fear shape your decisions more than you’d like to admit?
- Where might God be inviting you to bring a hidden fear into the light?
👉 Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 17 Reflections: Fear, Shame & Guilt