Fear is a dangerous weapon of the enemy. Whenever you succumb to it you lose your faith. The feeling of fear is an unpleasant emotion which is caused by believing that someone or something is dangerous, and that dangerous person or thing is likely to cause pain, or a threat or even death. The stings of fear can be so piercing that it can even kill faster than a dangerous person or thing. Sometimes the only problem with people living in fear is that their fear is not based on anything visible. They postulate an expected end and they program their minds that this is the reality. These expectations can drive them to do the unthinkable. In fact, fear has been given a mnemonic: False Expectations Appearing Real (FEAR). The focus of fear appears so real but it is a false expectation. How do we overcome fear? When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. (Psalms 56:3) Fearing God is different from the kind of fear we are talking about here. To fear God is to revere God, it is a sense of awe and an act of submission to Him. We don’t see God as a dangerous person to run away from but a loving and compassionate Father we run to. There are several verses in the Bible that remind us not to fear. There can be a natural reaction of danger like being in an unpleasant situation, in a war-torn environment, battling with life-threatening ailments, dealing with human adversaries like thieves etc. However, in case fear comes our way, we can do what the Psalmist does. Psalm 56:3, the Psalmist states: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Trusting in God implies that we see God as a Saviour, a Redeemer, as one who is able to rescue us from all our troubles. Faith in God is an antidote to fear. Choosing faith over fear leads to a sense of relief. God wants us to live in good rest. He wants our homes to be built on the foundation of His providence. He wants us to grow in faith and diminish our fear. He wants us to trust Him at all times. He is our chief Shepherd and He will lead us to pleasant places. If we rest under His shadow, He will give us rest. If we trust in Him, He refreshes our souls. Our nations are better when we entrust our leaders in His hands. Our homes are better when we make a commitment to serve Him. Whenever your children cannot sleep at night because of fear, remind them of God’s presence and protection. Let them know that trusting in God is enough to give them good rest. When we know that FEAR is False Expectations Appearing Real, we filter what goes into us and we replace our fear with faith. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalms 23:4)
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