It’s such a subtle deception, but debilitating when it happens.

I noticed it while playing tennis.

One of my greatest “opportunities” to advance in playing better tennis is to do a better job of getting into what pros call a “ready position.”

When I miss an important shot during practice, my coach might yell across the court, “Were you ready?”  And I might answer, “No!” …wonder why not…and then try again, only to have the same thing happen!

“Were you ready?” are words that I know very well.

During one match, as I crouched in a ready position to receive a serve from a big server, I realized that I was afraid. I was afraid that he would hit the ball too hard for me to return. I was afraid I would miss-hit the ball. I was afraid of the server! My goodness…a whole lot of fear going on there…

Later I realized that the fear was causing my mind to blank out from the moment the server hit the ball to the moment the ball was right in front of me.  And because of the “blank moment” I was not in the “ready position.” I hadn’t prepared in time to return the ball well.

This “blank moment,” fascinated me. It was having a very bad effect on my game. It needed to cease. But how? I wondered. By getting rid of the fear, I decided.

So, I took fear’s aggressive suggestions and turned them around. Instead of worrying about the server’s big serve, I filled up with love and gratitude for my God-given ability to return those serves with ease and accuracy. I looked at the server and said, “I can’t wait for you to serve to me. I am eager to return your serve. I know I can return your serve. There is nothing to fear here…” And so on…

And guess what? The blank moments have started to disappear. Instead of standing dazed like a deer in headlights, I get myself into a ready position and am more successful in getting the ball back. I still have huge progress to make!  But a valuable lesson has been learned.

Fear is not good. It would create blank spots in our life, in our progress, in our health, capacities and abilities. We must not be naïve about how the deceiver “fear” works and the need to neutralize it.