Freedom and Faith in the Face of Fear

The United States of America has a global reputation for being the country of freedom, opportunity, and prosperity. The country is currently facing what many are labeling a crisis of mental health. According to the nonprofit organization Mental Health America, more than forty million American adults suffer from an anxiety disorder of some kind.[i] The numbers are even more striking when we look specifically at children and youth, many of whom are experiencing struggles with mental health from younger ages. 

We are, one could say, haunted by a spirit of fear. We feel bound by it, even paralyzed and unable to escape its hold on our lives. Experts point to a number of factors that contribute to anxiety disorders, from biology and genetics to eating habits and social circumstances. These are all legitimate things to consider in an attempt to overcome the anxiety epidemic, and we should encourage others who are suffering from struggles with their mental health to seek help, whether medical or psychological. 

In the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we gain some insight into the problem of human fear. In Genesis 3 we read that Adam and Eve’s first response to God after they ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was to fear (Genesis 3:10). The sin and brokenness in our lives leads to guilt, shame, and isolation from God, Who is the source of life. 

The Bible is full of good news for those of us who feel haunted by fear. Paul told the community in Rome, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Because of this, he said, “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15). We no longer need to fear death, judgment, or any of the consequences of our sin, because we are God’s children, and God has shown His love for us by sending His Son to deliver us from sin. The disciple John wrote, “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear” (1 John 4:18). The perfect love he describes is the love of God supremely revealed in the death and resurrection of Jesus. 

There is hope for those who long to be free from bondage to fear. God wants to deliver us from the power of sin, and from the fear that controls our lives. We need Him to replace our fear with a faith that believes He is good. 

Certainly, many people in my country and others around the world need the assistance of medical professionals to help them overcome the crippling effects of anxiety and fear. There should be no condemnation associated with seeking that help to enable us to learn to walk in the full freedom Jesus came to give. He is our great physician and only He can meet every need we have. Surely, the testimony of the psalmist can be the same for everyone:  “I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

Prayer Requests

· Pray for the mental health of people in the United States and the world, that they may receive the help and support they need.

    

[i] “Anxiety,” Mental Health America, accessed November 23, 2019, https://www.mhanational.org/conditions/anxiety.