No Fear
Thursday, April 22
No Fear
And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26
Can you imagine a life with no fear? This is the possibility behind Jesus’ question in today’s verse “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?”
At first we wonder if Jesus is serious. Uhm…Lord did you not hear the winds? Do you not feel the sea raging? Kind of like one swimmer asking another, “Why are you wet?” But Jesus doesn’t smile. He doesn’t give in to say it’s a sarcastic question. He’s dead earnest.
To be clear, fear serves a healthy function. A dose of fright can keep a child from touching a hot stove or running across a busy street. Fear is an appropriate reaction to a burning building. Fear itself is not a sin. But it can lead to sin.
If we medicate fear with anger, self-medication, drinking binges, social withdrawal, then we exclude God from the solution and exacerbate the problem. We subject our response to fear, allowing the anxious mind to take control and paralyze us.
In the end we must be reminded fear is a natural response, but we do not have to give into it. Fear will always kick at the door, just don’t invite it in for coffee. Let’s embolden our hearts with God’s Word and tell fear there is no room on the inside.
Is there a particular thing you are facing that is causing you to feel anxious or fearful? Nothing is too trivial to talk to the Lord about. Pray with me today….
Loving Father, O my Father, I thank You that You know all about me, all that makes who I am. You know the things that make me feel afraid, and I come to You now with (name your fear). I thank You that You hear me, and that You have a purpose for me. I ask You to give me the grace and the strength to face and overcome this fear, and I will give You all the glory. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.