Pulling Our Own Tails

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24

I absolutely love the Wizard of Oz and the characters that made the movie a blockbuster hit. The cowardly lion is probably my favorite of the group. When I read this passage today I thought of that sweet lion who was destined to be courageous but spent the entire movie terrified. One of my favorite scenes is when the foursome was walking down the corridor of the castle towards the Wizard. The lion became extremely frightened at which point the scarecrow said, ‘What happened?’ Holding his own tail, the lion emphatically stated, ‘Somebody pulled my tail.’ Of course, he was one who had pulled his own tail.

Before I judge this precious character too harshly, I must consider my own reactions to fearful seasons through which I have walked. It is tough as a Christian to reconcile fear and faith coexisting in the same heart and mind. We all have valleys to walk through where fear whispers the ‘what-if’s’ into our hopeful faith. ‘What if the chemo doesn’t work…what if I never find love…what if my marriage can’t be saved… what if I never find a job…what if God doesn’t answer my prayer.’ The what-if’s…pulling our own tails. ‘Fear is a natural reaction to our valleys, but faith is a supernatural response. Fears show up in ways we don’t realize. Being overly controlling…angry…isolating ourselves…anxiety and worry…all fear in disguise. Although, fear and faith can share a heartbeat, they don’t share the same perspective. That is why we need the faith perspective when it comes to our valleys. Fear focuses on the shadows. Faith focuses on the Shepherd.’ Psalm 23 – The Shepherd with Me, Jennifer Rothschild, p. 120.

How do we get a faith perspective in our fearful hearts? How do we recognize that we are the one pulling our own tail by listening to the what-if’s in our circumstances? Paul states in Romans 10:17 ‘So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.’ We can either hear the whispers of fear or open the Bible and allow God to whisper the words of faith. Luke 17:5 also reveals an important prayer to be lifted when fearful. “And the apostle said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’” We let go of our tail when we pick up the Word. We let go of our tail when we whisper to God to give us greater faith. We realize that the fear chasing us is only a ghost, and God determines the reality. Fear sees the dark of the valley, while faith sees the light of the Shepherd.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation--so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” Psalm 27:1