When I was young every year I feared that my school report would say that I was not allowed to go to the next year. It was an irrational fear because I don’t remember anyone not being allowed to go into the next year.
At the moment we are faced with a lot of unknowns, instability, threats of war, food shortages, germs, and “5G”. Human beings are natural-born worriers, we fear so much – both real and perceived.
There are lots of places in the Bible where God tells us not to fear. One such reference is in a book named after its author Isaiah, who was a Hebrew prophet, believed to have lived about 700 years before the birth of Jesus. Isaiah prophesised the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ. Isaiah says:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
When God says, “Do not fear” he is not commanding us to deny our feelings, to shut off that part of our brains. God didn’t make us emotionless and stoic robots. The real issue God wants us to wrestle with is; where do we go when we are afraid? No one is able to escape fear in this broken world. It is real. It can be overpowering. It is powerful. But God is more powerful.
Simply put, God wants us to come to him. God wants to help us take the next step of faith even in the midst of our fear.
He has the power and desire to be with us in the midst of our fears. In my life, I have found that has enabled me to take the next step of faithfulness. How? Because I know God is with us.
So the real question is where do you go with your fears and how is that strategy working out for you?
~ Marsha Dale (College Chaplain)
