Caution can be good. If you’re not sure how to parachute out of a plane, and caution says you need to stay on the ground and learn more about parachuting before you jump, caution has served you well. It inspired you to act wisely, rather than ignorantly.
But there is a downside to caution one needs to avoid. When caution turns into fear, it can paralyze action and prevent success.
I see the downside of caution when I play tennis. When I let conservatism take over my shot making, I play poorer. I volley the ball tenderly when I should hit it hard. I slow down my strokes for fear of missing a shot. I select shots that are “safe” but not effective. Fear of making a mistake causes me to underperform. I do not play up to my potential.
The same experience happens in life. If we let fearful caution rule our decision-making, we fail to excel. Efforts to “play it safe” all the time, translate into hardly “playing” at all. We are held back by destructive fear.
The cure is not to abandon reason and act wantonly and blindly. The cure is to conquer fear with an understanding of divine Mind’s ability to give you the help you need to excel.
As children of God, we have unlimited abilities, talents and skills to express in Life. As our understanding of what we’re capable of in God’s image grows, we excel and accomplish greater and grander works. We do not let fear govern our actions. We reach out to the wisdom and understanding of God to inspire us to greater action.
Be wise about caution. If it’s crippling your success, it’s time to trust the wisdom of God more and act on it.
Live Life to its potential! Don’t let fear hold you back.
Oh such sound reasoning! And beautifully explained. Many times has one needed to confront “caution”. It’s a break through if one replaced fearful thoughts with ideas of Mind, & express God’s abundant liberating, , good qualities. Thank you Evan, for this clear positive reasoning!
Recently, I turned down a job offer because I realized I would be taking it out of fear and desperation. I did find a loophole, but that only factored in another fear. I continued to pray to be led by God’s absolute guidance. I expressed gratitude toward the ” What’s the worst thing that can happen” scenario, because I knew God would meet me there, and almost immediately after rejecting the job, abandoning fear, and leaning wholeheartedly on God, I received a job offer that was much better suited to my abilities and paid me at my worth. Remember that fear is false evidence appearing real.
Thank you, Evan for this wonderful SpiritView. I, too, am a tennis player, and I sooo love your comments on your views of YOUR game. Helps me so much with mine and other areas of life as I live it❣️
Thanks Evan. Your words reminded me of what Mary Baker Eddy wrote in her essay,
SPIRIT AND LAW. It makes me always question exactly WHAT I’m responding/reacting to, and her phrase “belief in safety where there is most danger” (wise caution) pulls me up short! What is the danger? Well, it’s clearly relying on matter, the mortal picture where selfish self-interest is put first. And is the danger to self? Or is it to the entire Cause of good and the good influence of our thoughts on others?
Here’s excerpts:
“… Wherever law is, Mind [God] is; and the notion that Mind can be in matter is rank infidelity, which either excludes God from the universe, or includes Him in every mode and form of evil. …
“… It fosters suspicion where confidence is due, fear where courage is requisite, reliance where there should be avoidance, a belief in safety where there is most danger. Our Master called it “a murderer from the beginning.” …
“Whatever appears to be law, but partakes not of the nature of God, is not law, but is what Jesus declared it, “a liar, and the father of it.” God is the law of Life, not of death; of health, not of sickness; of good, not of evil. It is this infinitude and oneness of good that silences the supposition that evil is a claimant or a claim.”
(Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 256:21, 26–3; 257:17; 259:3–8)
Thank you Evan. Thank you dear contributors of Spirit View. In the article titled ‘ An Allegory’ in Miscellaneous Writings 237:23-26. “All this time the stranger is pointing the way, showing them their folly; rebuking their pride, consoling their afflictions, and helping them on, saying, ” He that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it.”
Christian Scientists need to move on as they are cautioned by the Christ. The situation may look very alarming but when fear is removed as we are cautioned by Christ, we would be victorious.
Thank you so much for this!
The beautifully colorful and brilliant graphic accompanies such inspiring
words of “redeeming caution from fear”. Thank you, Evan and fellow
adventurers on this journey of Life. I have heard a saying, something to
the tune of … You don’t need a parachute to skydive, but it helps. Humor,
sometimes teaches a great lesson.
Living, itself, is an act of courage. It is believing in ourselves, our uniqueness,
as reflecting and a part of .. a Oneness of God’s guidance and caring that is
always with us along the way,
From Hymn#136,
“I hear Thy promise old and new, That bids all fear to cease;
My presence still shall go with thee And I will give thee peace…
All unafraid I wait, the while Thy angels bring release,
For still Thy presence is with me, And Thou dost give me peace…
Till time and space and fear are naught My quest shall never cease,
Thy presence ever goes with me
And Thou dost give me peace.”
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there” ~ Teddy Roosevelt
Thanks Carol for your comments, hymn and for the parachute joke. I related as I just went ziplining for the first time the other day with a friend. Something I’d wanted to do for a long time, but as the day approached I started getting very nervous and anxious about it, to the point where I couldn’t enjoy looking forward to it.
I had to stop and ask myself why did I want to zipline, just out of my own desire, or could I see it as an expression of God’s qualities such as freedom, joy, vitality, Trust, expansiveness, letting go of inhibitions, joy of movement etc. That helped, and I then realized I could see the fun as already having begun, as God was with me right Now, and I could enjoy the before, during and after as one continuous expression of Spirit. I felt Him taking care of me right then and there and that was the peace and the healing. I also thought of this from Hymn 139, “I walk with Love along the way and O it is a holy day.” I changed it to “We zip with Love along the way…” I also prayed for my friend to be similarly taken care of and joyful and for the workers at the location. Needless to say it was great fun and very joyful and exhilarating “flying” through the trees and over a river. Grateful for God’s care.
Thanks Evan for today’s important message and to all dear SV friends.
It sounds like a fun time, Rose, after your conquering the
nervousness and angst. I am very happy for you.
Just like in the awesome photo above, the parrachute
brightens the already-lovely sunset fly,
or lightning bugs or the moon lightens the celestial sky,
peering through the darkness, we can see the light …
where harmony blends
and what appeared as caution and fear
turns to be … everything alright.
Thank you , dear Carol for the very comforting hymn 136. I love it a lot! And thanks for your wonderful comment.♡
Awww, Thank you, Uta, for always being so appreciatively kind and
Thank you, J , for another exceptionally good article.
Yess, Carol, because I am really touched by the hymn you sent us in your comment!♡
“Caution: Ally of Fear or Wisdom?” by Peter J. Henniker-Heaton:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/12ajp4g317c
Dear “J”, thank you very much for the very helpful articles you give us every day so lovingly!♡
A story from college.
I was in one of those big lecture classes…Psychology I think.
The Professor went on and on about the virtues of fear…stating that at the top of an icy mountain fear would protect you.
I jumped up from m seat and said firmly that I disagreed. He became visibly angry. I explained that the opposite ia true, that fear causes one to freeze up and possibly fall.
Now he was really mad…but my demeaner remained calm. I ask if he pkayed zlidts, such as baseball.
I explained that if a hitter were fearful it’s called choking! He was even madder now. I stopped, knowing the class was with me. Fear is not helpful…in tough situations or any time.
Congratulations on the moral courage you exhibited by declaring the Truth for your “neighbor.” Inspiring example.
How important is it, to redeem caution from fear! Dear Evan, it’s an eye-opener that I am aware that often my caution is connected with fear, and that is not the expression of God. I am working and praying to overcome fear of any kind, knowing that fear has no power and no reality, and is no part of the spiritual image and likeness of our loving divine Father-Mother God! As Evan mentions, the cure is to conquer fear with an understanding of divine Mind”s ability to give us the help we need to excel!
Thank you very much, dear Evan, for teaching us the Truth through your healing spiritual views!♡
With thanks and lots of Love to all!♡
Dear Ones: All of you out there. Your infusions (from out there) about putting a big foot on fear has helped me immeasurably with an eye test upcoming. I am so grateful for the tremendous BOOST
you have all given me to go forward, knowing that the all-seeing, loving God never loses vision==
and neither do I. The all-seeing eye of our loving Father/God always, always sees love, truth, kindness,purity,never/ever a loss of any of His divine qualities which we are blessed to reflect as His children. My gratitude reaches out .
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