Spiritual Sunday: If Your Mind Can Create Fear, Imagine What It Can Create with Hope

By Jared Harding Wilson

“Your brain is powerful enough to create fear. Imagine what it can do when it creates hope.”

Every once in a while, I come across a quote that makes me stop scrolling.

Not because it’s clever.

Not because it’s profound.

But because it captures a truth I’ve spent years learning.

Recently I read this:

“Your brain is powerful enough to create fear. Imagine what it can do when it creates hope.”

I don’t know who first said it, but I immediately loved it.

As someone who has spent years—literally years—in therapy, I couldn’t help but smile. It perfectly summarizes one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned. Our thoughts are powerful. They influence how we see ourselves, how we see others, and how we see the future.

As I reflected on that quote, I couldn’t help but think, The Lord has been teaching this principle all along.

Long before modern psychology, long before therapists and neuroscience, God repeatedly invited His children to replace fear with faith.

One of my favorite scriptures is found in Doctrine and Covenants 6:36:

“Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”

I love that verse.

The Savior doesn’t simply tell us to stop being afraid. He tells us where to focus our minds instead.

Look unto Him.

Our thoughts are always going somewhere.

They’re either dwelling on fear…

Or they’re dwelling on faith.

They’re rehearsing worst-case scenarios…

Or they’re remembering God’s promises.

The Lord repeats this invitation throughout the scriptures.

“Fear not, little flock…” (Doctrine and Covenants 35:27.)

“Be not afraid, only believe.” (Mark 5:36.)

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee.” (Isaiah 41:10.)

“And perfect love casteth out fear.” (1 John 4:18.)

I don’t think that’s a coincidence.

Our Heavenly Father understands His children better than anyone. He knows that fear has a way of consuming our thoughts if we allow it.

I’ve certainly experienced that.

One of the greatest discoveries I made in therapy was realizing that fear doesn’t simply make me uncomfortable.

It makes me ineffective.

Whenever my mind is consumed by fear, I’m usually not focused on finding a solution.

I’m focused on everything that could go wrong.

Fear drains my energy.

Fear steals my creativity.

Fear whispers that the future is hopeless.

Fear tells me not to take the next step because it probably won’t matter anyway.

I’ve had moments where fear has left me staring at my computer, unable to begin a project.

I’ve had nights where fear kept me awake imagining problems that never happened.

I’ve worried about conversations before they took place.

I’ve replayed mistakes that God had already forgiven.

Fear is exhausting.

More importantly, fear keeps us from becoming who God knows we can become.

Fortunately, fear doesn’t get the final word.

Hope does.

I’m generally a hopeful person.

Those who know me well probably know that about me. I love dreaming about tomorrow. I enjoy setting goals, hiking mountains, training for races, writing, creating, and believing that the best chapters of life may still be ahead.

But that doesn’t mean I’ve never known darkness.

Several years ago, I walked through one of the most difficult seasons of my life.

For a long time, despite all the challenges I faced, I somehow managed to hold onto hope.

Until…

For just a few days…

I couldn’t.

Hope felt like dry sand slipping through my fingers. No matter how tightly I tried to hold onto it, it kept falling away.

For the first time in my life, I couldn’t imagine a better tomorrow.

I genuinely wondered if life was worth continuing.

I found myself asking a question that frightened me:

“Why keep going?”

Looking back, those were some of the darkest moments of my life.

Thankfully, they were not the end of my story.

I’ve written in greater detail about that experience—and the miracle that helped save my life—in another post here on Hike Stars on Earth called “Being the Miracle: When Kindness Saved My Life.” If you haven’t read it, I’d invite you to do so. It tells the story far better than I could summarize here, and I hope it offers encouragement to anyone who may be struggling.

What I want to share today is what happened afterward.

Hope came back.

Not all at once.

Not with fireworks or dramatic fanfare.

It returned quietly.

One prayer at a time.

One therapy session at a time.

One conversation at a time.

One act of kindness at a time.

One sunrise at a time.

One faithful step at a time.

As hope returned, something else returned with it.

Purpose.

I’ve come to believe that hope and purpose are deeply connected.

When we lose sight of our purpose, fear quickly fills the empty space.

But when we remember who we are, whose we are, and why we’re here, hope begins to grow again.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once offered this encouragement:

“Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead.”

I have loved those words ever since I first heard them.

He didn’t promise life would suddenly become easy.

He promised something even better.

That there is help ahead.

That there is happiness ahead.

That sounds an awful lot like hope.

Hope isn’t pretending life is perfect.

Hope doesn’t ignore pain.

Hope doesn’t deny grief.

Hope simply believes that God isn’t finished yet.

Hope believes healing is possible.

Hope believes forgiveness is possible.

Hope believes broken hearts can heal.

Hope believes families can be strengthened.

Hope believes addictions can be overcome.

Hope believes that because of Jesus Christ, no chapter has to be the last chapter.

I’ve also learned something else.

Hope requires action.

Fear tells us to stay where we are.

Hope invites us to take one more step.

One more prayer.

One more conversation.

One more attempt.

One more act of faith.

One more day.

Sometimes that’s all God asks of us.

Just keep moving toward Him.

One of my favorite scriptures says:

“Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”

Perhaps that’s the secret.

Not trying harder to stop fearing…

But becoming better at looking unto Christ.

Because whatever fills our minds eventually shapes our hearts.

If our minds are powerful enough to create fear…

Imagine what they can create when they’re filled with faith.

Imagine what they can become when they’re filled with gratitude.

Imagine what they can accomplish when they’re filled with hope.

I don’t know what burden you may be carrying today.

Perhaps you’re worried about your health.

Your family.

Your job.

Your finances.

Or perhaps you’re quietly fighting a battle no one else knows about.

If that’s you, I hope you’ll remember this:

The same God who repeatedly said, “Fear not,” is the same God who still walks beside His children today.

He knows your story.

He knows your heart.

He knows the road ahead.

And He has not abandoned you.

If you’re struggling to find hope today, don’t give up.

Keep praying.

Keep believing.

Keep taking the next faithful step.

Sometimes the miracle isn’t that the mountain disappears.

Sometimes the miracle is discovering that Christ has been climbing it with you all along.

I’d love to hear from you.

How do you keep hope alive when life feels uncertain?

What helps you replace fear with faith?

Your thoughts or experiences may be exactly what another reader needs today.

Until next Sunday, keep looking for the stars on earth. They’re still there… sometimes we simply need hope to see them.

Also…

If you or someone you love is struggling with thoughts of suicide or overwhelming hopelessness, please know that reaching out for help is a sign of courage. God often answers prayers through people—family, friends, Church leaders, therapists, and trained crisis counselors. There is hope, and there are people who genuinely want to help. I’ve also shared reflections honoring my brother Louie, who tragically died by suicide, in my tied to Suicide Prevention Month. Those experiences deepened my commitment to sharing hope.

Images created by Jared Harding Wilson. All rights reserved.