I heard a quote recently that really struck me. I was at a work event where a guest speaker was talking to a group of about 150 teens, working to inspire confidence in them as they prepare for a summer work experience. During the course of his presentation, he said (paraphrased):
“Faith and fear both require you to believe something you can’t see.”
Now, for the latter, there are certainly instances where you can see something that strikes fear. If I’m on a hike through the mountains and turn the corner to come face-to-face with a mountain lion – well, the cause of my fear is pretty apparent.
But how often do we allow fear of an unrealized outcome to keep us from doing what we should do? From being who we should be for God? It could look like a number of things:
- Fear of the unknown
- Fear of rejection
- Fear of not being good enough
- Fear of failure
Any of those sound familiar? Fear is just one of many tools that Satan uses to convince us of the lies (he is, after all, he is the “father of lies” – John 8:44) that keep us chained to him and separated from God. 1 Peter 5:8 tell us he is “…prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” He works to intimidate us to the point of paralysis.
The comfort? “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment” (2 Timothy 1:7). God provides us an alternative to fear. He provides us the power we need to conquer our fear, knowing He will deliver us (Psalm 34:4) and not forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). He provides us with a hope that if we put our faith in Him, the unknown, rejection, and failure won’t matter and He will make us good enough for the work to be done in His kingdom.
So, my prayer for you – and, frankly, myself – this week is that you would not live in the fear that holds you back. Instead may you live in the faith that God will carry you through, give you what you need, and bring you home to Him in heaven one eternal day.
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