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"Fear"
“Do not be afraid.”
We all have seen these verses in the Bible. In fact, there are actually 365 times in Scripture we are told not to be afraid. Great advice – until you find yourself in a crisis and consumed by fear. Then it’s a command that feels trite and borderline insensitive – like God doesn’t understand how serious this situation is, otherwise He’d NEVER say that.
And yet He does.
Two questions to ponder today. First, why does God exhort us to not be afraid? And second, is it even possible?
On the first question, it’s important to recognize the roots of fear: It’s a lack of information, a lack of perspective and a lack of love. God is not a being who experiences fear. He is all-knowing, so He has all the information on every particular situation. God was there at the beginning and will be there at the end, so His perspective is eternal. God is also love, and “perfect love drives out fear.” Fear is a totally foreign emotion to God because He knows everything, sees everything and is the embodiment of love. God does not fear. It’s just not in His DNA.
Recognize that in God’s eyes, fear is not only a useless emotion, it’s a dangerous emotion. Fear either paralyzes us or pushes us into a flight-or-fight response. We can’t think straight when we’re afraid. We can’t keep any kind of perspective when we’re anxious. And we most certainly can’t love when we’re terrified. And since our primary job as new creatures in Christ is to love, fear cannot be part of our equation.
“Well, that’s nice,” you might be saying to yourself. “But is that even possible?”
Of course, it’s not! It is not possible for us to overcome fear - with our human capabilities. The only possible way to defeat this beast-of-an-emotion is by surrendering it to God, and maintaining ourselves in a state of prayer and absolute trust.
Though fear is a lifelong battle, God is our lifelong shield! Through Him, we are able to fight our fears and be unafraid. When we are secure in His love and salvation, nothing can take us way from Him.
No matter the circumstances, understand that our God is faithful in all seasons, despite ANY fear we face. So, cling to Him and stand on His promises, rest assured that our all-powerful and loving God will see us through.
Scripture
About this Plan
We all face crises in life – and they can shake us to our very core. The new Alcon Entertainment/Warner Bros. film THE 33 tells the true-life story of the Chilean miners whose crisis was being trapped underground for 69 days after a catastrophic cave-in. While the story ended joyously – all 33 were rescued – the film depicts the emotional and physical turmoil of their time in crisis. Are you in turmoil today? This devotional is designed to help you navigate some of the thoughts and feelings you may encounter as you walk out your trial. The messages over these 10 days are not intended to be a “cure” for the circumstances you find yourself in, only daily encouragement as you lean into God to navigate your way back to daylight.
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