What are you afraid of? Your children getting kidnapped? A stock market crash? Public speaking? Spiders? Snakes? Bedbugs? The dentist? Heights? Failure? Flying? Rejection? Crowds? Darkness? Job loss? Illness? Affliction? Old age? Death? Whether our fears are triggered by creepy crawly creatures, being shut up in small spaces, or things that go bump in the night, all of us are afraid of something.
We know, of course, that some fears can be useful. For instance, if you are approaching a precipice, fear will cause you to stay clear of the edge, preventing a headlong fall. Fear of becoming incapacitated in old age may encourage you to adopt a healthy diet and a more active lifestyle. Fear of failing might motivate you to work harder.
Fear is not a problem unless it begins to control us. Being controlled by anything or anyone but God is a miserable, life-destroying experience. It keeps us locked up in our heads, unable to live the life we were meant to live or use the gifts we’ve been given.
Fortunately, we are not left to battle our fears alone. Pastor Rick Warren points out that there are 365 “Fear nots” in God’s Word—one for every day of the year. It seems obvious, he says, that “God is serious about you trusting Him.” The next time you feel assaulted by fear or anxiety, don’t try to battle it by yourself. Get out your Bible and find one of these verses. Remember that Paul calls God’s Word “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). Take hold of that sword today, and with God’s mighty power, stand strong against the fears that threaten your peace.
(Image courtesy of mathgeek at freeimages.com.)
