Our dog, Sadie, hates thunder, and we are in the middle of a series of thunderstorms in Illinois. She will even abandon her greatest love – playing fetch – at the first flash and boom and run for grandma’s room to hide behind her vanity. The cat, Joey, isn’t too concerned but worries about Sadie, so we often find them both in their “hidey hole.” (Although sometimes I wonder if the cat isn’t just laughing at the dog, I like to think Joey is consoling Sadie.)
There is something visceral about booming thunder. “As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel” (1 Samuel 7:10). On the other hand, in John chapter 12, just a few days before Jesus was crucified, God spoke from heaven. Some declared it was just a natural phenomenon like thunder and nothing to pay attention to. Others suggested the sound might have been an angel speaking to Jesus, while some of the disciples indeed heard the words and heard the very voice of God.
The storm has passed. Sadie has crawled out from behind the vanity, denying she was afraid. She was just a little sleepy. The cat doesn’t believe her, but what does it matter? Life is full of phobias. Kendra Cherry posted an “A to Z” list of phobias. [1] Here are just a few from the A category:
Achluophobia: Fear of darkness
Acrophobia: Fear of heights
Aerophobia: Fear of flying
Algophobia: Fear of pain
Agoraphobia: Fear of open spaces or crowds
Aichmophobia: Fear of needles or pointed objects
Amaxophobia: Fear of riding in a car
Androphobia: Fear of men
Anthropophobia: Fear of flowers
Anthropophobia: Fear of people or society
Our fears can protect us, but in my experience, fears can often prevent us from enjoying the life God has given us. Our Christian hope helps us overcome our fears and celebrate life!
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18)
[1] Downloaded August 3, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/list-of-phobias-2795453