Episode 11 : Faith or Fear | Part 3
Bob and Jake conclude the series on faith or fear by explaining how our fears form a false self. Jesus invites us to deny our false self, come to Him, learn from Him, and look into His eyes of mercy for healing.
Show Notes
Guiding Scripture
“I was afraid because I was naked so I hid” (Gen 3:10)
Key Points
Fear is a very common experience in life
What’s happening above the surface of our lives gives a good indication to what’s happening below the surface
The fig leaves in the garden are a symbol of our false self
The false self is an elaborate system we have developed to respond to our shame and fear
Jesus’ saying we must deny our self is a reference to the false self (Matthew 16:24)
The Pharisees are the archetype of the false self
Jesus did not have a false self - he lives the essence of who He was/is
We need to become aware of the false self
Jesus invites us to come to him to learn how to be our true selves in meekness and humility
We can bring our false self to prayer and our relationship with Jesus
“Adam and Eve...become afraid of the God of whom they have conceived a distorted image” (CCC 399)
When we notice the false self so we can then repent, renounce, and receive
Repent is metanoia, to change our thinking/beliefs
Renounce is choosing something different than the false self
Receive is being with the One who loves you
Practical Application
Where do you struggle to trust that Jesus will not give you everything you need?
Where do you notice your false self? Spend some time in prayer asking God to show you your false self.
Jesus invites us to take His yoke upon us which raises an interesting question. “What is your yoke like? How heavy does the false self feel?”
Where do you feel burdened? Where do you feel the heaviness of life? (These are the places we are living from the false self)
How do you respond to the reality that you aren’t living to the fullness that God intended you to be? Do you put pressure on yourself or can you entrust yourself to our loving, merciful Father?
When you are praying and you feel some distress, allow yourself to feel the emotions and invite God into your experience.
When you notice the false self: repent, renounce, and receive.
