quiet

Do You Have Phobophobia?

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
Image by Anemone123 from Pixabay

It turns out people can have a fear of anything. Most seem to have a fear of something. Me? Arachnophobia. A common one is the fear of spiders. It is so bad the other day I tried to kill a thick, black mark on the back of where some curtains were cut off! I suspect April suffers from Zuigerphobia. The fear of vacuum cleaners. Oh, Phobophobia is the fear of phobias.

A phobia of some things, like snakes, might keep you from getting hurt. Honestly, though, so does a healthy respect. You see, some fears can cause some people to seize up. The fear can definitely control their behavior. Fear is not of God, and God is love.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 (NIV)

The one fear some have that I want to focus on is the fear of the quiet. You can spot the people who suffer from this phobia because they are always in motion. They must be somewhere with others or have people at their home, but you will seldom find them alone.

They don’t want to be alone because that can lead to them having to think about the current situation they are dealing with and how they got there based on the good or bad decisions they have made. Usually, their current situation is not favorable. They find themselves lacking contentment or peace.

Unfortunately, when a person is alone, they tend to turn to mind-altering substances to assist them in leaving their life on the side for a while. If they are not careful, they will become addicted to the substance.

Knowing Jesus can be the cure for addictions, loneliness, and the fear of the quiet. He can help you turn your life around, heal you of your fears, and give you confidence, contentment, and peace to go with it. You’ve tried everything else to no avail. Try Jesus. If you don’t think you need him, then you probably have Redeemedphobia!

For fun, I am including a list of phobias. My favorite was:
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia: Fear of long words

  • Ablutophobia: Fear of bathing
  • Achluophobia: Fear of darkness
  • Acrophobia: Fear of heights
  • Aerophobia: Fear of flying
  • Algophobia: Fear of pain
  • Agoraphobia: Fear of open spaces or crowds
  • Aichmophobia: Fear of needles or pointed objects
  • Amaxophobia: Fear of riding in a car
  • Androphobia: Fear of men
  • Anemophobia: Fear of air
  • Anginophobia: Fear of angina or choking
  • Angrophobia: Fear of anger
  • Anthrophobia: Fear of flowers
  • Anthropophobia: Fear of people or society
  • Aphenphosmphobia: Fear of being touched
  • Arachibutyrophobia: Fear of peanut butter
  • Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders
  • Arithmophobia: Fear of numbers
  • Astraphobia: Fear of thunder and lightning
  • Astrophobia: Fear of outer space
  • Ataxophobia: Fear of disorder or untidiness
  • Atelophobia: Fear of imperfection
  • Atychiphobia: Fear of failure
  • Automatonophobia: Fear of human-like figures
  • Autophobia: Fear of being alone
  • Bacteriophobia: Fear of bacteria
  • Barophobia: Fear of gravity
  • Bathmophobia: Fear of stairs or steep slopes
  • Batrachophobia: Fear of amphibians
  • Belonephobia: Fear of pins and needles
  • Bibliophobia: Fear of books
  • Botanophobia: Fear of plants
  • Cacophobia: Fear of ugliness
  • Catagelophobia: Fear of being ridiculed
  • Catoptrophobia: Fear of mirrors
  • Chionophobia: Fear of snow
  • Chrometophobia: Fear of spending money
  • Chromophobia: Fear of colors
  • Chronomentrophobia: Fear of clocks
  • Chronophobia: Fear of time
  • Cibophobia: Fear of food
  • Claustrophobia: Fear of confined spaces
  • Climacophobia: Fear of climbing
  • Coulrophobia: Fear of clowns
  • Cyberphobia: Fear of computers
  • Cynophobia: Fear of dogs
  • Daemonophobia: Fear of demons
  • Decidophobia: Fear of making decisions
  • Dendrophobia: Fear of trees
  • Dentophobia: Fear of dentists
  • Domatophobia: Fear of houses
  • Dystychiphobia: Fear of accidents
  • Ecophobia: Fear of the home
  • Elurophobia: Fear of cats
  • Emetophobia: Fear of vomiting
  • Entomophobia: Fear of insects
  • Ephebiphobia: Fear of teenagers
  • Erotophobia: Fear of sex
  • Equinophobia: Fear of horses
  • Gamophobia: Fear of marriage
  • Genuphobia: Fear of knees
  • Glossophobia: Fear of speaking in public
  • Gynophobia: Fear of women
  • Haphephobia: Fear of touch
  • Heliophobia: Fear of the sun
  • Hemophobia: Fear of blood
  • Herpetophobia: Fear of reptiles
  • Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia: Fear of long words
  • Hydrophobia: Fear of water
  • Hypochondria: Fear of illness
  • Iatrophobia: Fear of doctors
  • Insectophobia: Fear of insects
  • Koinoniphobia: Fear of rooms
  • Koumpounophobia: Fear of buttons
  • Leukophobia: Fear of the color white
  • Lilapsophobia: Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes
  • Lockiophobia: Fear of childbirth
  • Mageirocophobia: Fear of cooking
  • Megalophobia: Fear of large things
  • Melanophobia: Fear of the color black
  • Microphobia: Fear of small things
  • Mysophobia: Fear of dirt and germs
  • Necrophobia: Fear of death or dead things
  • Noctiphobia: Fear of the night
  • Nomophobia: Fear of being without your mobile phone
  • Nosocomephobia: Fear of hospitals
  • Nyctophobia: Fear of the dark
  • Obesophobia: Fear of gaining weight
  • Octophobia: Fear of the figure 8
  • Ombrophobia: Fear of rain
  • Ophidiophobia: Fear of snakes
  • Ornithophobia: Fear of birds
  • Osmophobia: Fear of smells
  • Ostraconophobia: Fear of shellfish
  • Papyrophobia: Fear of paper
  • Pathophobia: Fear of disease
  • Pedophobia: Fear of children
  • Philematophobia: Fear of kissing
  • Philophobia: Fear of love
  • Phobophobia: Fear of phobias
  • Podophobia: Fear of feet
  • Porphyrophobia: Fear of the color purple
  • Pteridophobia: Fear of ferns
  • Pteromerhanophobia: Fear of flying
  • Pyrophobia: Fear of fire
  • Samhainophobia: Fear of Halloween
  • Scolionophobia: Fear of school
  • Scoptophobia: Fear of being stared at
  • Selenophobia: Fear of the moon
  • Sociophobia: Fear of social evaluation
  • Somniphobia: Fear of sleep
  • Tachophobia: Fear of speed
  • Technophobia: Fear of technology
  • Thalassophobia: Fear of the ocean
  • Trichophobia: Fear of hair
  • Tonitrophobia: Fear of thunder
  • Trypanophobia: Fear of needles/injections
  • Trypophobia: Fear of holes
  • Venustraphobia: Fear of beautiful women
  • Verminophobia: Fear of germs
  • Xenophobia: Fear of strangers or foreigners
  • Zoophobia: Fear of animals
  • Zuigerphobia: Fear of vacuum cleaners

Source: verywellmind

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady

The Quiet Man

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I have always admired the man with experience in his hair and wisdom in his eyes. You’ve seen the type. They usually are tall, thin, and have grey hair. They typically have a subtle smile on their face. They watch and observe but say very little unless asked to contribute.

I think of the man pictured here in this post. I recall a time when I was mowing the church lawn, and I can’t remember why I was upset, but when Pastor Russ pulled into the parking lot, I immediately felt an atmosphere of peace come over the place. It was then I nicknamed him “Moses” for he helped me that day, and I considered him “my deliverer.” God knew what was going on. He knew my struggles, and He had heard my complaints. God sent me Moses.

I desire to be a “quiet man” without grey hair. Even at age 60, I still have a decent head of hair and very few grey strands. It’s the only good thing about my physical being. Trust me, I’ve seen the rest of it! But I respect the demeanor of a “quiet man.” I find it difficult to hold my tongue often, especially when I witness an injustice, or am offended. Too many times, I speak out first.

The hoary [grey] head is a crown of beauty and glory if it is found in the way of righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation).
Prov. 16:31 (AMPC)

Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. James 1:19-21 (MSG)

So if I want to be a “quiet man,” I need to apply the word of God in my life. After accepting this truth, I should practice and practice and practice being slow to anger and listening with my heart. I should have started working much earlier on this. I will probably have grey hair by the time I master it.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Can You Hear Me Now?

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

When a friend of mine was in Tokyo, and getting ready to board a plane heading to Chicago, he looked out the window and noticed an airplane from Taiwan Airways. A few days later, he realized God was speaking to him about moving to Taiwan.  A year later he learned no such airline existed.  God used an open vision to help speak to him about his future.

Fast forward three years: my friend, now living in Taiwan, is currently seeing area codes of a particular major city in the United States.  We were discussing this the other day, and I reminded him, “God doesn’t always speak to us in the same way every time.  He loves being creative, and changing things up.”

God doesn’t get bored!

God is so creative.  His imagination didn’t stop after creation.  His designs of interacting with his children is genius, and can be fun as well.  God also has a lot to say.  He will share things with you if you ask him to, and if you take the time.

The devil can stir up trouble and emotions in us, and in our lives that hinder us from hearing God. Those are the times we need to focus harder on listening to him.  God speaks to us in so many different ways.  Through his word, the Bible, via dreams, through our pastor and friends.  He can use anything that we see, hear, smell, touch, speak, or even taste.

“For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.” Job 33:14 (NKJV)

One of his specialties is using his creation to speak.  A coworker, several years ago, was questioning if God existed.  He went on vacation to the Grand Canyon where he sat on the rim, and found his answer.

One of the best ways to hear God is to get quiet.  Many times it is when we are still we finally are able to hear his gentle Spirit whisper to our soul.

“Be still, and know that I am God…” Ps. 46:10 (KJV)

Remember; just because God has spoken to you before, or even several times in a particular way, it doesn’t mean he is this time.  Nor count on him speaking to you the way he spoke to someone else.  When a famous person preaches on how God spoke to them, or how God used them to accomplish something, or to receive healing, don’t run home and try to follow a recipe and expect the same result.  Doing so and not receiving an identical outcome can cause you to get disgruntled with God.

So, when God ask, “Can you hear me now?” I hope your answer will always be, “Yes, Lord, your servant is listening.”

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Grumpy Old Man?

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I believe I have expressed how much I dislike “injustice” before, but it seems like I am becoming more vocal when I see it.  Either out loud, or under my breath.  I don’t like how it makes me feel, and if I am not careful, I go on way too long about it.  This is a pattern I’m not too fond of.

The other day, and I wish I could remember the source, I was involved in my devotional time and I came across the phrase, “a gentle and quiet spirit”.  It keeps resonating in my head.  Kind of like a “LSS” (Last Song Syndrome).  You know, the last song in your head that you keep singing over and over.  It seems I can’t get away from thinking about it, so I determined, this must be something God is calling me to.

Now, raising awareness of an injustice is needed and getting loud about it is important for it can draw attention to the situation and cause others to stop, look and decide to join you in your fight to alleviate it, but in everyday life, how you call out something that isn’t fair and or even mention it at all, is important.  That’s where I have been failing in recent days.

Not using the right words, the correct volume or the Godly wisdom to get my point across.

So mush so, I could be labeled as a “Grumpy Old Man”!  I don’t want to be known that way.  When I hear that phrase, I think of the old man in the Disney movie, “Up”.  And now that I think about it, there was a movie titled, “Grumpy Old Men”.

So I am now in the process of transforming my mind.  Training it to “capture” every thought of negative, grumpy, stinking, old criticism and renewing it to handle what I see that bothers me in a “gentle and quiet” way.  I may actually find that technique gets more people to hear what I am saying.

“Do not be shaped by this world. Instead be changed within by a new way of thinking.”  Rom. 12:2 (ICB)

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.