Dealing With FearSample

There’s a huge barrier that keeps us from choosing suffering, whether it’s for the advance of the gospel, for the cause of justice, or to identify with others who suffer. That barrier is fear. We’re afraid. Our culture has been carried away by fear of the “other.” People who don’t look like us, or vote like us, or think like us have become demonized. Some of us are afraid of the people at our country’s border, or liberals, or violence in our streets. Others of us are afraid of conservatives, or the police, or hate groups. Some of us are afraid of the changing demographics of our neighborhoods. We’re afraid. The result is that we are frozen in our fear.

According to the YouVersion Bible App, the most-read Bible verse for 2020 was Isaiah 41:10: “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.” The app was searched almost six hundred million times, with fear, healing, and justice ranked as the most-searched topics.

When we are afraid, we don’t have to pretend that we are not. We can say, “God, I’m afraid.” Courage isn’t the absence of fear. I think courage is propelled by fear. The hero is the one who forgets about himself in the moment and does what needs to be done. Heroes jump into the river to save someone, knowing that they may die, but they also may rescue that person. And they reckon in that split second that it’s a sacrifice worth making.

I’ve known fear in my life and I’ve known suffering. I’ve learned that joy, true joy, is formed in the crucible of suffering.  While I was tortured in the Brandon jail, I was afraid the police were going to kill me. They nearly did. But God did uphold me with his righteous right hand. I hope my story will help you deal with fear and give you a deeper trust in the God who loves you.