Fear of Falling Can Lead to Falls, Researchers Conclude

The headline from this news story was the first thing I saw in my inbox this morning. The article highlights a study in the British Medical Journal that shows a fear of falling among the elderly can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. “It can lead to a refusal to participate in activities, which can result in muscle weakening and loss of strength and balance, which increases the risk of falling.”

Ironically, I’ve been stressed lately about a fear of failing. My day job is extremely stressful and will only get worse over the next few months. I’m fighting to balance time for my wife and kids. And as I declared on Friday, I am determined to write a book, based on this blog.

With every step I take toward God, I can feel the spiritual warfare kicking in. The lies growing louder, the fears growing more intense, the junk I carry around inside me bubbling up with a newly found frenzy. Every wound I have is more intense these days, and it’s harder than ever to keep focused. It’s like the darkness starts fighting harder at the first glimpse of daylight.

And I am so close to bending to the fear of failing. I’m so close to allowing that fear to be the ultimate reason for failing. My own self-fulfilling prophecy. I am just now realizing how frequently I’ve lost this battle in my past. That has a dual effect internally for me. Half of me feels defeated yet again. The other half says, “No way, not this time!”

In the end, my goal is to press forward, step into what God has for me and trust Him. If failure comes, so be it.

But I am not going to fall just because I was afraid to fall. And I’m not going to fail just because I was afraid to fail.

I’m thankful God shared this article with me. Exactly what I needed to start my week.