Fear.....it's just a small little word, but it can hold so much power in our lives if we allow it to. I can say with all transparency that fear has overtaken me at different times in my life. It can be easy to make excuses for it, convince ourselves that it's okay, that any normal person would feel this way. I believe that "worry" is just another word for fear. Fears and worries can so easily overtake us! If we are followers of Christ, this kind of overwhelming fear or worry is a sin.
One of the most prevalent things that I have noticed during the months of the presidential campaign, was the fear displayed in many Christians. The outcome was not what I had hoped for, but I refuse to limit God based upon who is in the White House or what bill Congress may have on the table at the present time. The Bible describes in great detail what things we can expect to see before the Lord returns. Why are we surprised by the things that are happening in the world, and the way so many have turned their backs on God and what is right? When we allow our personal fears, anxieties and emotions to be bigger than our faith and trust in Him, we are limiting God.
As Christians, we can trust that God's plans are bigger than what the world tries to tell us, and His sovereignty is greater than anything this world, or the people in it can throw at us! He is the same God who was with Abraham when he was told to sacrifice his son, with Moses and the Israelites when the Red Sea was parted, and with Jesus when He hung on the cross and died for the world. Who are we to limit the very One who created us from dust and breathed life into our bodies?
In Philippians 4:6-7 it 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."
We will worry and fear at times, but like any temptation we face, it is how we respond to it that counts! Fear is a tool that Satan uses to try to take our eyes off of God, make us doubt what God can do, and weaken our faith. God's Word clearly tells us, Don't worry! Pray instead, and tell it to the Lord. But it goes even further than that...we are also given an amazing promise of a peace in our mind and our heart, the peace that only comes from God!!
Next time you find yourself with your stomach in knots or your mind reeling with the things that are going on around you, stop and pray. Dive into the Word and meditate on the promises God has given you. Nothing in life takes Him by surprise, and He wants you to come to Him with every fear and anxiety, and leave them at His feet. If this is a sin that you struggle with, God can change your outlook on life if you allow the trials and dark times to teach you and allow God to use them to make your faith stronger.
1 Peter 1:6-7 says that when we experience trials (which tend to make us want to worry), it tests the genuineness of our faith. The more we learn to depend on God and stop carrying our burdens and worries on our own shoulders, the easier it gets with every new trial or trouble that may come our way. When we try to see God as our "Father", it is easy to understand that He desires for us to come to Him as His children and allow Him to take our anxieties and replace them with His wonderful peace. He knows what we have need of and He has a plan for our lives.
Ask God to show you what you can learn through your trials and allow Him to change your heart and mold you even more into the servant that He wants you to be; the one that He can use for His glory. The peace that you will feel in your heart is beyond compare...and the only source of this peace is through our Lord.
