KEY SCRIPTURE Isaiah 41:10

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

RELEVANCE

Today's title is borrowed from a comment I once heard, but it encapsulates what I want to say. Have you ever been confronted with a situation from which you cannot run? Even Christians, with the power of Christ within them, fear certain circumstances.

Just the other day, after I finished a talk, a Christian of some years approached me for advice—the stuff you share in secret because you don't want others to know you are afraid. He chose me because of my prison experience. He thought if I got through prison unscathed, I must know how to get through fears.

He had an upcoming issue of some weight, and because it was new to him, he had built up a scenario in his mind of how it might pan out. The trouble was that it was based on fear, which had now ruled his mind.   I know that you know that feeling. We all know it. But is it right? 

Many fears and anxieties befall Christians, but only because we allow them bigger status than they deserve. After hearing about the guy's situation, I asked him, "What's the worst that can happen?" Then I asked him, "What is the best thing that could happen?" Once we opened that conversation and deconstructed the scenario, the fear began to drain out, and reason replaced it. When he shared the result he wanted, we discussed it and prayed to our Lord, who has no fear.

The guy's affair has not yet been finalised, but we can see how our hearts faint when we forget the power of God and His love for us and the sound mind he gave us.

Anxiety is a powerful tool of Satan, and it's easy to let in. I know Christians who don't realise they live in a state where panic sits just under their waterline. When the unknown arises, anxiety is the first thing their hearts cling to, causing fear and turbulence even before they've understood the full scenario. That slip of faith influences trust, and trust affects our relationship with God!

Do you think it's pointless to read about the peace of God, which passes all understanding, if we don't let our hearts and minds absorb some of it?  

PRAYER

Dear Lord, thank you for your omnipotence—a place where fear cannot reach. Please help me, through the power and love of your Holy Spirit, to trust you above all competing fears and worries.  

Photo by Bernard Hermant