40 DAYS in the GOSPEL Sample

THE POWER OF FEAR

During a particularly long church service, my (Josiah) older brother had been sitting on his leg, and when he got up to go down to the altar, he broke his ankle by stepping on his own foot at a bad angle. He did not even realize what had happened for a few minutes because the lack of blood flow to his foot and ankle had caused it to go completely numb. Maybe you have slept on your arm before and woke up to one of your limbs refusing to obey your commands. It feels like a rebellion! This arm belongs to me so why won’t it move?

Fear can be paralyzing in a way similar to this. Even though it is our mind experiencing the fear, we can still find ourselves unable to think straight. It is our body gripped with anxiety but all our efforts to get up and do something about our situation are met with numb refusal. Peter learns a painful lesson about this in our passage. I believe he was sincere when he told Jesus that he would rather die than betray him. Even so, when he is in the actual situation, being singled out and accused of being an associate of Jesus, the power of fear betrays his best intentions.

Perhaps you have been here too? I know that I have. More than I would like to admit. I’m ready for that tough talk with my teenager till my hand is on their door. Suddenly, I’m headed the other way to do a few more chores! I’m ready to make that tough apology to my wife, but a minute later find myself asking what’s for dinner. I want to talk about Jesus with my neighbor next door, but why do I end up commenting on the weather instead?

I’m sure there are many things Peter learned from this episode in his life. And, I know fear has many lessons to teach in our own lives. One that occurs to me is that we need to humble ourselves and admit the power that fear still has over us. Not in a defeated way. But in a realistic and humble way. Why? So that we are not always taken by surprise. Also, so that we open up to God and those we trust before we find ourselves reacting to fear. Over time, we can build new habits of reacting to fear by reaching out for help both in prayer and by calling out to our brothers and sisters in the faith. I have seen many habits of fearful defeat turned into reactions of faith with this slow but steady process. Don’t be alone with fear! Jesus did not leave Peter that way, and he was forever changed.

PRAY ABOUT IT: Begin to speak honestly with God about the top two or three places in your life where you tend to react or be paralyzed by fear. Ask a trusted friend or two to pray for you as well.