The RAVYN Blog

I remember being younger, watching a lot of advertisements, and being pulled in by the urgency to buy what they were selling. 

You couldn’t skip the ad (unlike now, with the skip button). You’d have to sit and get through it until your show came back on. It was a strategic marketing plan that leveraged the psychology of fear to get people to make hasty decisions. 

We’ve come a long way since then. Now, ads are more refined and less direct. Still, marketing is curated to inspire a sense of guild and the fear of missing out. It’s designed to profit from a fear-driven society.

The Psychology Behind Fear-Based Marketing

As a brand designer, I still see the effects of fear in everyday marketing, especially on social media. The idea is to instill fear-based thinking, forcing people to make decisions that they didn’t think through, then profit from it by selling an ‘antidote’. 

Social media has a way of introducing this to young users. If you want to be a social media influencer, society tells you that if you’re not growing, then it’s something that you’re doing wrong. I once fell for the trap. I’d think to myself, “I’m doing everything they ask me to do, and still I’m not getting any views.”

I’d blame it on the algorithm, on my location, and even my dedication. However, the truth is that most things take time to build as they generate authentic followers. 

No one ever taught us how to think rationally in a fear-driven world, or how to analyze the situation we’re in before making a decision. 

The guilt, the worry, the shame, the self-condemnation, and even the anxiety that surrounds all this is the fear generated by the media, but there’s hope. 

You don’t have to buy into it.

Guidance Through Faith, Not Fear

Here’s the question: how do I break free from fear-based thinking? 

The Bible says:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

When we’re guided by God’s divine will for us, everything that we put our hands to will prosper within its appointed time. 

The world tends to generate a type of fear that makes us feel ‘left behind’, and that sort of thinking can lead to rushed decisions that result in problematic outcomes. 

 If you’re not married with children yet, the clock is ticking. If you still haven’t landed that dream job or started your business, it may be too late.

When God calls us, the anxiety and waiting can become a burden that pushes us to make careless decisions that aren’t aligned with God’s desire for us.

What do we do then?

Waiting vs. Action

Our ‘wilderness’ moment is a place of preparation, designed for us to hear God’s voice and obey His direction. When He’s ready for us to move again, the season will shift. 

The first step relies heavily on faith in God and on understanding that this movement will bring discomfort meant to bring us closer to God.

Are our decisions guided by fear or by faith? 

Fear keeps us stagnant, close to what we think is safe, but it also causes us to act without clarity, often introducing more confusion and worry than it does peace of mind. 

Recently, I made a very bold decision. Before that decision, I knew there was discomfort; I knew my season had changed, but I was fearful. Through quiet prayer and meditation, I trusted that this decision was the one God wanted me to make, and when I made it, I felt a burden lift from my shoulders. 

To be honest, I don’t know the next steps I’ll be taking as I write this, but this is where faith triumphs fear. Faith brings peace and assurance in God, trusting in His timing and divine direction. Fear leaves you confused, worried, and uprooted. 

When Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, he was in prison, but he wrote comforted by God’s Spirit and the faith he had in God’s plan. 

He said that in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, you should make your request known to God, and the peace of God that surpasses ALL understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. 

I can attest to this peace that surpasses all understanding. It’s true—I don’t know where this peace comes from, I don’t know how I can feel so comforted and sure when I don’t even know what direction my life is going in right now—but this gives me hope that God is with me.

Actionable Steps for the Believing Entrepreneur

The important thing for you is learning how to stop fear from controlling your life.

If you’re in a space where you feel overwhelmed by the media, especially when it comes to your career or business, be comforted in knowing that as long as you put everything you do in God’s hands, He will make a way.

Step One: Your Plans Must Align with God’s 

The first and most important way to be empowered in your decision-making is to first ensure that all your choices are in direct obedience to God. This can be daunting, at first, especially if you don’t know whether it’s your mind or God’s voice. 

One way you can assure that your steps are ordered by God is by positioning yourself in holiness. The nature of being set apart from the world, and joined to God’s Holy Spirit through communication and relationship, is a heart posture you must take. 

Step Two: Always Stay in Prayer

Pray always. Prayers don’t have to be long and drawn out. They don’t have to be elaborate, but they must be sincere and consistent. 

A few words of thanksgiving, asking God to direct your steps and bring you clarity as you follow His will for you, is a prayer that will always keep your heart aligned to obey. 

Pray for what you want. The Bible says to let your request be made known to God. His answers will always be in your best interest, even if that answer is ‘no’. 

Step Three: Meditate on God’s Word

Meditate on God’s word daily and incorporate it into everything you do. You can meditate on a Scripture verse, a Psalm, or a Bible story. Meditating on God’s Word means keeping it in your heart and at the forefront of your mind. 

Step Four: Allow the Fruits of the Spirit to Blossom

Lastly, in everything you do, allow the fruits of the Spirit to shine through. As humans, we sometimes slip back into sinful habits: we worry, we grow impatient, we cast blame, but it’s important to allow the Holy Spirit to guide and convict us as His fruits shine through our actions.

Until Next Time…

All my life, I’ve drowned myself in constant worry—it’s a part of me that I’m learning to shed every day. 

As the world sells fear and anxiety, each moment I spend with God is a gentle reminder that I don’t have to buy into that fear. God’s plans for me are sure, because He is an unchanging God and His Word will not return to Him void. You can live in the surety of God’s promises over your life.

The world may sell fear, but you don’t have to buy it.

Signed,

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The world will always try to sell you fear, but you can still control it. 

If you want more ideas for navigating a fear-driven world with a God-centered mindset, subscribe to the RAVYN Blog so you don’t miss the next post.

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