Wellbeing: An Invitation to a Flourishing LifeSample

Freedom from Fear

“Do not be afraid” is a common refrain throughout the Bible. Again and again, God tells us in different ways to be free from fear, worry, and anxiety. We know that there is no fear in God’s loving presence, yet we all struggle with anxiety and fear regularly. It is clear that God wants us to live a life free from fear, but what does this look like?

God made us with minds that are creative and imaginative. Creativity and imagination are wonderful until we imagine worst-case scenarios and replay our most painful or embarrassing moments in life at the slightest touch.

The reality is our anxiety and worries are connected to some of our greatest blessings – can you love another human without fearing losing them? Can you parent your child wholeheartedly without worrying about their wellbeing? Can you limit your creative thinking to only identifying positive outcomes? No, all these beautiful strengths come with a side order of anxiety, worry, or fear.

Sometimes it can feel that in our effort to follow God, we need to remove this part of our mind surgically, but the Bible instructs you to love the Lord with all your heart, all of your soul, and your mind — your mind, not someone else’s mind, not some altered version of your mind, all of it! God wants us to love him with our mind–the mind capable of wonderful ideas, endless creativity, fierce protectiveness, and deep love, but also fear, worry, stress, and anxiety.

Freedom from fear does not mean that we should never feel these things. It means learning how to respond to fear from our position, firmly placed within God’s love and security. Next time you find yourself worrying, thank God for the beautiful, capable mind he gave you. Notice and observe your worries, allowing them to come and go without attempting to change them or avoid them. This might be uncomfortable initially, but as you start to do it more and become more comfortable with these emotions, you’ll find that their power over you will slowly diminish.

When they come up, know that God created your mind the way he did and wants you to love Him and worship Him with that mind. Freedom from fear does not mean an absence of fearful thoughts or feelings but rather confidence that we do not need to let fear drive our decisions.

Thought Point: How do you typically respond to emotions of fear, stress, and anxiety? Using the wonderful imagination God has given you, imagine feeling comfortable with experiencing these emotions.

Prayer Point: Ask God to surround you with His love and security. Ask Him to help you accept the wonderful mind He has given you.