Originally published in July 4, 2013 with art by Rodel Buban | Revised for flow and clarity
The Wall We See (and the One We Don’t)
Art affects us differently depending on what we’ve lived through.
We bring our stories to every canvas.
When I first saw Rodel Buban’s piece “Beyond the Wall,” I noticed exactly what the title hinted at—a wall.
But after a few minutes of just looking, I started to wonder…
Is the wall even real?
False experience. Real emotions.
That question reminded me of an acronym I once heard for fear:
F.E.A.R. – False Experiences Appearing Real.
Fear convinces us of outcomes that haven’t happened, may never happen—yet the emotions it stirs feel painfully real.
Recently, I met people held back by subtle but crippling fears.
Fear of water.
Fear of darkness.
Even fear of food—without any known allergies.
I have my own set of fears, too. I can’t always explain them. But they show up as walls—invisible barriers that block me from trying, deciding, or moving forward.
And yes, I know some of them might just be illusions.
But that doesn’t make them easier to break.
“The battle starts in the head, but often, we’re too passive or too permissive to guard it.”
– Tweet-worthy reminder
If fear is born in the mind, then the mind is also where freedom begins.
But winning that battle requires something deeper than motivation—it takes discipline. The kind that lets you challenge every thought, and choose what’s true over what simply feels real.
When Illusion Becomes a Coping Mechanism
I was reminded of this concept while watching the Nikita series.
Amanda, one of the characters, uses hypnotism to trap Alex in a false world—a safe illusion to avoid facing pain.
Alex clings to the illusion, convinced it’s reality.
Everyone around her sees the change and tries to “wake her up.”
But she doesn’t listen.
Not until it’s too late.
Not until she loses Sean—the person she loved.
That pain jolts her back to reality, revealing the truth she didn’t want to face.
Like Alex, we sometimes retreat into our own mental illusions.
They make us feel safe… until they don’t.
“Sometimes, it takes pain to break the illusion.
But truth will always demand your attention.”
The Painful Gift of Truth
Breaking free from fear often requires someone brave enough to speak what we don’t want to hear.
“There are few people in this world brave enough to hurt you with truth. Be grateful for those friends. These are the people who love you enough to interrupt your illusions. One day, you’ll need to do the same for someone else.
Tweet
What Lies Beyond: Commitment and Conviction
Whatever your wall is—fear, anxiety, pride, overthinking—one word helps you move past it:
Commitment.
Commitment isn’t about force—it’s a response to vision.
You move forward because you believe that what lies beyond the wall is worth the stretch.
“Commitment activates courage.
Courage is sustained by conviction.
Conviction builds from clarity in what we believe.”
Faith that Moves, Not Just Believes
You can believe in something… and still stay stuck.
That’s why Scripture reminds us:
“Faith without action is dead.” – James 2:26
Faith is not just a belief.
It’s a movement.
It’s a decision.
It’s what turns knowing into becoming.
Look Again
Now, take one more look at Rodel’s painting.
Are you still looking at the wall?
Or are you seeing what lies beyond it?
Sometimes, the wall was never real to begin with.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.
Then you will be able to discern what is the will of God—His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”
– Romans 12:2
Quotable Moments to Keep Close
“Faith doesn’t stand still. It moves. It commits.”
“The wall is often in your head—but the fight to break it is real.”
“F.E.A.R.—False Experiences Appearing Real. The emotion is true. The threat is not.”
“Commitment isn’t pressure—it’s clarity in motion.”
“Love is sometimes the truth that breaks your illusion.”
Break the illusion.
I remember how Amanda used hypnotism in the Nikita series as her weapon against Alex. Amanda weaved the illusion so that Alex clung to it to cope with her current pain and insecurities. The chapter ended with other people around her noticing changes in her getting them convinced to “wake her up”.
Alex didn’t listen and had to go through the pain of losing her boyfriend Sean before she acknowledged the deception.
Easier said than done, the answer to melting the barrier is seeking the truth, and sometimes that requires having someone to wake you up and speak the truth.
One day you’ll need to do the same thing they have done to you to another valuable soul you’ll meet.
What’s beyond?
Whether fear of whatever, breaking the barrier would still require your presence, energy, and will for you to breakthrough. And it starts with one word- “commitment.”
Commitment only happens as a response to a vision or a promise.
We move forward because we have faith that what’s on the other side is worth the hardship or challenge. After commitment comes courage strengthened by conviction.
See the connections?
Commitment is not merely a word but is an action. Same as faith. The difference is you can have confidence in something or someone without actually committing to it. But that faith could be dead.
Now look at the painting again.
Are you still focused on finding the wall, or have you seen what’s behind it?
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.-Romans 12:2
Artwork Notice:
The artwork featured in this article is used here with permission as an inspiration piece for creative reflection. All rights to the artwork remain with the original artist. This blog post aims to honour and celebrate the visual arts through written expression.
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