“Don’t be afraid,” it is an easy thing to say, but how do you conquer the fear welling up inside you? What do you do when life brings circumstances that shake your world? Is there something you can do that is more than wishing you were not afraid? The answer is, undeniably, “Yes!”
The first step to overcoming fear in our lives is to recognize what fear really is. A close friend of mine likes to say that, “Fear is just an acronym for False Expectations Appearing Real.” That may seem trite at first read, but there is more truth there than we may recognize. Fear frequently comes from our expectation that something bad is going to happen and, while our expectations may be a possible outcome, they are not the only outcome. If we are not careful, we begin to believe that our expectations are written in stone and we lose sight of our other options, and of God. When we do, we lose heart.
I frequently wrestle with this issue when we have financial challenges. I look at our need, and our resources seem so small that I become intimidated and, if I am not careful, I begin to believe that there is no solution and that we are about to experience a shipwreck. The times I give into these fears make me a part of the problem. I lose sight of any solution and I begin to magnify the challenge, not the solution. Sometimes, I even let the challenge begin to eclipse God.
If we understand that our fears are not a fixed reality for our future, then we are ready to apply the God-given antidote to fear: faith. I know, there iare a lot of silly notions about faith surrounding us, but we cannot avoid the Biblical witness to the power of faith in action. Paul told the Roman church, “the righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:!7) We are called to live a life characterized by faith, and faith, especially faith in God, is the exact opposite of fear.
In the book of Hebrews, the author defines faith as, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) Notice how similar that definition is to the definition of fear. Both are about expectations, but fears are based in the expectation of impending doom, while faith is based in the expectation of the power and promise of God at work in our lives.
Jesus was teaching his disciples about faith and he told them if they had faith and believed in their hearts, they could say to the mountain, “be removed and thrown into the sea,” and it would be done. (Mark 11:22-24) Jesus did not tell them to start making plans on how they should move the mountain. He certainly did not tell them to start talking about the mountain. He told them to speak to the mountain. Too often we try to address our challenges and fears by attempting to work it out on our own, and we are all tempted to rehearse aloud how challenged and afraid we are. Jesus offers another choice, talking to God about our circumstances, trusting him for action and direction, and then to begin declaring our faith in God to see us through.
This is not merely wishing things were better, nor is it casting positive thoughts into the universe in the hope of a good return. No, this is a declaration of the power and the goodness of God. It is the affirmation that we are the Lord’s and that he is our Strong Tower, Fortress, Deliverer and Friend. We will still need to act, but our actions will no longer be based only on our own strength, nor will our attitude be based upon false expectations. Through faith, we can see the mountains of our lives moved, and the testimony to the faithfulness and power of God created in us.
As you experience this day, and the days to come, be faith-full, and watch your fears lose their grip as the power of God brings hope and deliverance.
