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"Fear is the
prison of the heart." -
Anonymous
Fear and Faith
Fear makes the world go round. Our fear of tyrants and
terrorists fuels the military machinery. Our fear of
economic collapse creates political pressure and personal anxiety.
Our fear of abandonment or divorce dominates our
waking moments and unspoken conversations. Our fear
of death drives us to a brooding paranoia or
outright denial.
A
palpable feeling of fear laces the air around us.
Parents afraid for their children; families afraid for
their safety; churches afraid for their
survival.
Fear
has endless supply. It provokes violence, creates
isolation, and diminishes our zest. Every ounce of fear
burns up a pound of life. It seems unfair. Anxiety about
the "not yet" steals the joy of the "right now." Fear
consumes us and leaves nothing but ashes in its
wake.
In
such a world, our faith in Christ ought to make all the
difference. It's not always so.
For
those of us attached equally to country, community,
church, and Christ, faith loses its power. Only as we
return to the Father, willing to release all that we
have and hold to Him alone, can we experience the true
freedom of faith.
As followers of Jesus,
we trust in His provision, His protection, and His
promises. If He chooses not to provide or protect,
we rest assured in His promise ... of resurrection. We may
lose everything we own but we refuse to let
fear divide us or seduce us into aggression.
The only way to
love our enemies is to no longer fear them, not because we
feel stronger or superior, but because there's nothing that
they can take that matters and nothing they can
do to defeat God's ultimate plan for our
lives.
Our trust in Christ -- our faith -- can transform the
world, but not while we fret about stock portfolios or
speak vindictively against others. As soon as fear gets
a foothold, faith gets supplanted. Is our Father really
in charge, or not? Is this world really our home, or
not?
May
we be more deeply rooted and grounded in His love so we
need fear no more; that the world may
believe.
In HOPE --
David |
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