I recently finished reading Max Lucado’s new bestseller called Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear (2009). In an easy-to-read style, he calls us out on our fears: Fear of Not Mattering, Fear of Overwhelming Challenges, Fear of Global Calamity, Fear of Worst-Case Scenarios, Fear of Disappointing God, and so on… While reading this book, it struck me how easily our minds fly to fear. How quickly we imagine the worst or limit ourselves. We give fear such power in our lives, when really it’s all just the Deceiver’s sham.
Listen to how Max puts it:
Fear, it seems, has taken a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversize and rude, fear is unwilling to share the heart with happiness. Happiness complies and leaves. Do you ever see the two together? Can one be happy and afraid at the same time? Clear thinking and afraid? Confident and afraid? Merciful and afraid? No. Fear is the big bully in the high school hallway: brash, loud, and unproductive. For all the noise fear makes and room it takes, fear does little good.
Fear never wrote a symphony or poem, negotiated a peace treaty, or cured a disease. Fear never pulled a family out of poverty or a country out of bigotry. Fear never saved a marriage or a business. Courage did that. Faith did that. People who refused to consult or cower to their timidities did that. But fear itself? Fear herds us into a prison and slams the doors.
Wouldn’t it be great to walk out?
Max goes on to explain that we can. We can walk away from fear. The Gospels list some 125 Christ-issued commands. Of these, 21 urge us to “not be afraid” or “not fear” or “have courage” or ”take heart” or “be of good cheer,” almost three times as many than the second most common command (to love God and neighbor – 8 times). What does this tell us? Jesus knows our tendency toward fear, and he takes it seriously.
Are you letting fear creep into your life, hindering your potential and stealing your joy? What are you doing to combat your fear? How about memorizing a verse or two? When you catch yourself in the grip of fear, remember these words straight from the mouth of Christ:
• ”So don’t be afraid. You are worth much more than sparrows.” (Matt. 10:31)
• ”Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” (Matt. 9:2)
• ”I tell you not to worry about everyday life–whether you have enough.” (Matt. 6:25)
• ”Don’t be afraid. Just believe…” (Luke 8:50)
• ”Take courage. I am here!” (Matt. 14:27)
• ”Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” (Matt. 10:28)
• ”Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
• ”Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me…” (John 14:1)
• ”Don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)
And check out Max Lucado’s book Fearless for a good read and good reminder. You can download the first chapter for free at www.maxlucado.com/fearless/.
”For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)