What are you afraid of?
One fear grips tighter than any other. It is powerful and strikes every one of us.
It is called fear of the unknown.
Remember Covid? Fear was rampant because this was something new with no baseline in which to compare. Unsure of how it was transmitted or a treatment, people froze in their tracks.
Life stood still. No one knew how to process their emotions, where to go, or what to say.
I believe that fear of the unknown is the root of most, if not all, fears. Think about it . . .
Fear of rejection is being afraid of NOT KNOWING what life would look like, and if you’d have the ability to survive if rejected.
Fear of harm is NOT KNOWING if you could prevent it, how long it would endure, its severity, nor the outcome.
Fear of failure is NOT KNOWING if you could handle the overwhelming feelings of not reaching your goals, or what you perceive people’s reactions might be.
Fear of a spider or snake is NOT KNOWING if it will be poisonous or if the bite will hurt.
See what I mean?
New situations and changes of any kind are scary to us due to the unknown. Moving, job changes, marriages and break-ups, pregnancy and parenthood are just a few examples.
The amount of fear and how long it stays varies according to our age, personality, and experiences. Remember Covid again?
My Unknown
Not knowing why, I constantly tripped over shadows and ran into people baffled me. But hearing the diagnosis of having a progressive eye disease at nineteen when in college, filled me with fear.
I didn’t know if I could finish college, teach if I did graduate, ever live on my own, or if any man would want to marry me. The doctors didn’t even know how long it would be before Retinitis Pigmentosa would prevent me from reading, let alone go totally blind.
Thankfully, my relationship with Jesus Christ I had from childhood allowed me to lean on Him through this.
Praying, He gave me a peace to continue and not worry about tomorrow – at least not every day . . . all the time. He directed my path step-by-step.
What I didn’t know until later was how this built my faith to prepare me for my future “unknowns”.
Led by the Blind
I know you’re thinking Blind people need led; they can’t lead anyone else.
As a totally blind person now, I confess I can’t lead you physically – not safely anyway. But I can lead you through your fear of the unknown, based upon my experiences and lessons learned.
And, trust me, I’ve definitely faced the unknown more often than not! In fact, I still am. Each time the unknown is bigger, but so is my faith.
Some of my earlier unknowns included:
- Graduating college while losing sight
- Teaching special education
- Marriage and Step-parenting teens
- Pregnancy
- Home educating
- Co-pastoring
- Running own business
- Co-founding a feeding ministry
- Writing
And now, moving our grown children and grands to raw land to build a homestead in our retirement years. It’s okay to say I’m crazy.
Facing the unknown isn’t easy, but it starts with relying on God to direct us and give us the tools, skills, and resources necessary, like I did when losing vision.
Walking by Faith
When not knowing what lies ahead, afraid or not, you still live and move forward – the way a blind person does.
A blind person has to walk without sight. Every step we take could be fearful since we literally can’t see anything.
A visually impaired person might pick up some clues, but they also see things distorted, which can be even scarier.
When finally dependent on my cane, I had an epiphany. Walking by faith really was like walking without sight, which 2 Cor. 5:7 commands believers to do.
Such a beautiful illustration!
That led me to write my book, “Illogical Faith in a Logical World” to show people it is easier than they think to walk by faith.
With practice, walking by faith can become as natural for Christians as it is for the blind walking without sight.
Visualizing mobility greatly aids in our understanding of walking by faith.
From my Book
Mobility Illustration
The ability to move around when not seeing normal is called mobility.
How it’s done . . .
I grab my guide’s relaxed arm directly above their elbow joint. I stand on their side, one step behind, with my own elbow bent at a ninety-degree angle to keep one pace behind them.
Because my faith hasn’t been perfected yet, I keep my cane in my free hand for added protection.
Pointers for New Guides
1.Pause before reaching stairs, curbs, or any sudden change in depth. This will alert me to this fact without verbalizing it. That is, if I’m paying attention.”
2.Remember all pathways need to be wide enough for both of us to pass through.
3.If narrow, move your hand to the small of your back and I’ll extend my arm as I step directly behind you. This puts me far enough behind you to prevent me from stepping on your heels or removing shoes prematurely.
While walking with my sighted guide, I know my job is to keep my elbow bent properly, allowing me to keep pace with them, even if they choose to run.
I follow wherever they lead. I go where they go. If they move left, I move left. If they pivot right, I pivot right. If they bend over, well . . .
This book lets you picture God guiding you on your unknown paths, how to trust Him enough to be a good follower, plus the benefits of doing so.
Know when you’re afraid of the unknown, having God in the lead eliminates your fear. Your faith, too, might look illogical in a logical world.
© 2025, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.
Leave a Reply