Ladybugs, I Strongly Dislike You

I know, I know - I've heard it all before.
Amanda, that's a completely irrational fear... or, why? They're completely harmless!

The fact of the matter is they scare me with their sporadic tendencies! Think about it - they can't decide whether they are content with simply chilling on your hand, or if they want to randomly seize their wings and fly into your unsuspecting nostrils.


But seriously, I'm not joking. This is a real thing. It's so real, someone created a name for the fear of ladybugs: coccinellidaephobia. Okay, so I'm not exactly sure if that's a legitimate word, but google seems to think it is, so that's a good enough reason to me.

When I get teased for my "irrational" fear of ladybugs, I have to remind myself that it's just like anyone else's fear. Some people may have a fear of ants (myrmecophobia), or in-laws (soceraphobia), or opinions (allodoxaphobia), or rabies (hydrophobophobia)... But the fact that those things may not seem scary to me does not mean that it appears less scary to the people who have a serious problem with those things I just menionted.

Bare with me, there actually is a point to this.
I think my fear of ladybugs has a much deeper meaning because if I'm honest with myself, I know they don't and can't do any damage to me... EVER. They're like the most harmless things on the face of the earth. It's more their sporadic tendencies that scare me, so does that mean that what I actually am afraid of when it comes to ladybugs, is the unknown?

I realize this is quite a stretch, but think about it for a second. One of the largest and most irrational (or rational fear, depending on how you look at it) in life, is the fear of the unknown (panphobia).

My questions to the Christians out there who are reading this is, are we supposed to fear this? Or should the peace we receive from Christ completely erase this fear?

Let's see what the Bible has to say about this:

Matthew 6:34 says
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Also in Matthew 6, verses 27-29 says
"'can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?' 'And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.'"

Proverbs 12:25 says
"Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up."
Still not convinced?
Psalm 13:5
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Psalm 31:14
But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."

Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

All that said, my challenge to you is this:
If you find yourself worrying about something (or the ladybugs flying around you, if you find your dorm seems to be infested with them), refer back to these verses. One of the best ways to defeat the Devil is to quote scripture.

I hope my story of ladybugs, in-laws, and opinions has in some way encouraged you.
Remember that God's always on your side, and when you rely on Him, you can conquer anything.
Have a blessed week,

P.S.


[photo credit]

Be free...today.