The Paralysis of Fear

There are few things more difficult to watch then seeing a football player receive a hit that paralyzes them for life.  That one moment forever transforms their future.  It’s sad and disturbing all at once.

I’ve noticed similar feelings occur when watching a person with a great task at hand paralyzed not by physical contact, but by fear. You see failure just envelope them and overwhelm them.  It’s equally difficult to watch.

Seeing Ben Rothlesberger in the final drive of this year’s Super Bowl, I saw a different man from two years ago.  He wasn’t the man of Super Bowl XL that stood in the pocket fearful of making a mistake.  He was no longer paralyzed by that fear, but he rose to the occasion and overcame it.  He led the Steelers to one of the great game-winning drives in Super Bowl history.

I don’t know what tasks are at hand for you today, but know that you will have one of two choices:  paralysis or victorious.

As you make that choice, just remember it was made for you 2,000 years ago, all you have to do is embrace it.