"Okatokat" Me 😱

I may look small at my 4'11" height, but I can confidently drive alongside huge trucks on the road. I feel like the queen of the road (sorry for that!) when driving our SUV, fearlessly and boldly keeping up with "many opponents" on the national road (as in various vehicles that are so close and where our car distance is so tight). However, I realized I was not brave at all. When I boarded a flight for the first time, I came face to face with my fear... of flying!

Fear is inevitable, and everyone has it. Thus ignoring or escaping it is pointless; it will just eat us. What then should we do with our fears? Confront and overcome them. And that is what I did on our departure for Hong Kong.

We were in Naia, completing the document process for our tour. I already feel the negatron attacks in my body, mind, and emotions considering the "what-if" vain imaginations of riding in an airplane. "Mabuti pa sa barko, kapag lumubog, may nakaka-survive, pero ang eroplano pag bumagsak, walang natitirang buhay," my sister used to say to me when I was younger. My hands got cold, my palms started to sweat, and my pulse rate went up when I thought about it. I could not help but feel agitated even though Hong Kong was only two hours away from the Philippines.

This is it, pansit, whew! I mustered all of my courage to deal with my anxiety. The plane is ready for take off. Many things can happen during the trip, and we have no control over them. And the captain, who was in command and charge of the plane's steering wheel, had me and every other passenger in his hand. We had no option but to trust this man, whom we knew nothing about except that he was the pilot, and hope that he would safely bring us to our destination.

After a while, the stewardess held the mic, and the plane's doors were closed. And, hola, we are headed into space, and before I know it, we're soaring high, staring at the clouds like bunches of cotton hanging in the sky. I am feeling lightheaded and weak. My daughter is next to me and is quiet as well. Could she be nervous like me?

The FEAR OF THE LORD is the only fear that God wants for us. It is being afraid of offending God by sinning because we love HIM and since we know that HE hates sin, thus we refrain from doing evil.

But this fear I have, a crippling one, is undoubtedly a sin. I'm silent because I am nervous; ugly ideas cloud my head. Not good, not right; help me, God.

Then I felt guilty and ashamed. I urge others to believe in Jesus, yet here I am, terrified aboard a flight. Now is the time to walk my talk and practice what I preach regarding confidence in Christ. Therefore, I shouldn't look worried, especially since my daughter is beside me and my husband and son are in the next row behind us. I had to convince them I was okay and relaxed, so I was forced to grin (though I was actually scared) so my family would think I was enjoying the travel.

The truth is that all our apprehensions are groundless. Most of our anxieties stem from faulty thinking or notions that don't exist yet or not yet happening.

We must choose what we want between the two: fear or faith. Given that we have only one heart and one mind, we cannot handle both. And this is my struggle at that moment. Hence, I prayed while trying to get rid of the bad thoughts that kept crowding in my head. Then I heard the Holy Spirit instructing me to play my downloaded praise and worship songs on my cellphone. So I put on my earphones and listened to gospel music and at the same time, reminded myself of the promises of God's presence I read in the Bible.

✝️ Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me..- Psalm 23:4

✝️ So do not fear, for I am with you; 

do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; 

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10

✝️ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

Then I felt peace, my uneasiness faded, and my heartbeat stabilized.

God was well aware of my fear, and only HE (not anybody or anything else) could allay it. When I opted to divert my focus to Jesus, assured of a safe trip, I felt pleased and fell asleep.

So the lesson from this experience? FAITH in God through Jesus Christ is the antidote to fear.

What was the result of putting my faith into action? 

I appreciated our ride✈️ 

No more fear!🛩️ 

Glory to Jesus!

I am looking forward to further chances to fly again🌍 

God willing🙏