Fear

On Wednesday night, we started a new Bible study at church based on Max Lucado's new book "Fearless". I love the way it's written. It's not preachy or filled with psychobabble; it's very relatable. We began the discussion by naming our biggest fears.

What are your biggest fears?

Some of my little piddly fears are snakes, spiders, bees, and jellyfish as well as my house catching on fire, being burglarized, kidnapped, raped, etc. (I watch too much Law and Order). These things could quite possibly happen, but most likely will not.

My biggest, deepest fears, however, are much more serious. Financial failure, being alone, being an inadequate mother and wife, and losing family members to death rank among the top of my list of biggest fears. The worst part is that I don't have much, if any, control over these things! I mean, if I wanted to--and I have before--I could go into panic mode and worry about them 24/7.

What kind of a life would that be? Would I be living the kind of life Christ has called me to live?

The study talked about the story in the Bible where the disciples and Jesus are out on the Sea of Galilee on a boat, when a terrible, ferocious storm suddenly comes up. Everyone is panicking and wondering where Jesus is when they find him sleeping peacefully underneath the stern of the ship. "Jesus," they said, "don't you care that we're dying?" (paraphrase) Calmly, Jesus got up, rebuked the storm, and then rebuked the disciples for being so upset. The point is that Jesus, being Jesus, knew that there was going to be a storm. He didn't stay up waiting for it, worrying. He took a nap!

In this life, bad things are going to happen to us. Mostly likely, one or more of those bad things might be on our "biggest fears" list. We can sit around worrying about it or we can sit back and trust that Jesus will step in and take control. He's not worried. Why should you be?

In John 14:27, Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

I could find many more verses where God commands us not to worry and not to be afraid. Bottom line: "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let them be afraid!"

We are children of the Most High God, protected under His wing, filled with the knowledge that if and when we are through with this life, we will still celebrate with Him!

In the words of Rich Mullins (and Jesus): "In the world, you will have trouble, but I leave you my peace. That were I am, there you may also be."