The Tournament of Fear

March Madness is underway, and I absolutely love this time of year! The conference tournaments are exciting, and watching the bracket reveal on Selection Sunday is always fun. (Now we get to fill out our brackets, and I hope you'll join The UNPACKIN' it Bracket Challenge HERE.) 

Everything surrounding the NCAA Tournament is so thrilling, but I also recognize that fear comes into play. During the hours leading up to the announcement of which teams were in and which ones were out, I know that many fans, players, and coaches from certain teams were filled with these types of fears: 

• Fear of missing out on the tournament.

• Fear of a tough matchup.

• Fear of ending up in one of the first four matchups and having to play an extra game.

• Fear that this will be their only chance to make it to the tournament.  

Now that the bracket is set, new fears will threaten players, coaches, and fans: 

• Fear of getting upset by a lower seed.

• Fear of not winning a game in the tournament.

• Fear of not going as far as expected.

• Fear of losing their coach if they win too many games, because he'll take a better job.

• Fear of their coach's firing if they lose earlier than expected.

• Fear of getting injured.

• Fear of missing a game-winner.

• Fear that players' NBA Draft stock will go down based on their performance.

• Fear that players will transfer based on how the tournament goes.

• Fear that we finish last in the Bracket Challenge!  

  
  

There are many reasons to fear the "what ifs" during March Madness, but the teams that play fearlessly and overcome their fears will be the ones that keep moving on.

Teams that play without fear have confidence and freedom, but teams paralyzed and consumed by fear hesitate and allow worst-case scenarios to dominate their thoughts, negatively affecting their play.

If our favorite team made the tournament, we relate to some of those fears, but even beyond March Madness, you and I know what it's like to face our own fears regularly.

When fear wins, we feel paralyzed, lacking freedom, confidence, and clarity, and we become hesitant as we dwell on worst-case scenarios instead of best-case ones. Fear affects us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. 

So, how do we overcome fear, live fearlessly, and keep moving on? We must get to the root and examine any lies we believe that cause us to fear. We must also acknowledge what we're trying to control or wish we had control over and accept that we don't. 

Then ultimately, it comes down to faith and surrendering to Jesus, trusting God with our lives, and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to help us overcome our fears and keep our minds focused on the right things.

Psalm 112:6-8 (NLT) says, "...Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly."

It can be challenging to let go of our fears and trust God with everything, but He is worthy of our trust. Instead of focusing on lies, or "what ifs," or the dread of the things that are out of our control, let's have the proper fear of the One who is faithful, who gets us through "each round," and leads us to victory.

Psalm 112:1 (AMP) tells us, "...Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with obedience], Who delights greatly in His commandments."

Today, as college basketball teams battle fear and must choose to embrace the joy of making the tournament, let’s choose to honor and revere the Lord and ask Him to give us peace and joy instead of fear when we find ourselves in the middle of the Madness.

I'm Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess that when my eyes shift off of You, and my mind wanders, I often am filled with fear. I pray, Lord, that You would help me overcome my fear, and with faith, I'd remain surrendered to You. Please remove any negative fear caused by things out of my control. I desire to have the proper fear and awe of You and Your power. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.