A couple weeks ago, I wrote on having peace by keeping our focus on Christ. While we know this to be true…it is often so hard to live out. As a result, I am noticing a common theme among many people these days…yes, even Christians…and that theme revolves around “fear”.
I have spoken quite a few times on the subject of fear, so I recently pulled up all my notes on this subject. Normally, I am standing up front and those who are listening are sitting in front of me. But with me still in recovery and spending most of my time in a recliner…that scenario just ain’t happening! So, I’ve decided to do a several week “study” on fear and I’m inviting you to join me. Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with all my notes…I’ll just give a synopsis.
If you’re willing to join me, just imagine you are sitting in my family room, I’m in my recliner…while we delve into this thing called “fear”…
(Imagine this being said in a hillbilly accent…). Fred and his wife Edna went to the state fair every year. Every year Fred would say, “Edna, I’d like to ride in that there airplane.” And every year Edna would say, “I know Fred, but that airplane ride costs ten dollars, and ten dollars is ten dollars.”
One year Fred and Edna went to the fair and Fred said, “Edna, I’m 71 years old. If I don’t ride that airplane this year I may never get another chance.”
Edna replied, “Fred that there airplane ride costs ten dollars, and ten dollars is ten dollars.”
The pilot overheard them and said, “Folks, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll take you both up for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and not say one word, I won’t charge you, but if you say one word it’s ten dollars.”
Fred and Edna agreed and up they go. The pilot does all kinds of twists and turns, rolls and dives, but not a word is heard. He does all his tricks over again, but still not a word.
They land and the pilot turns to Fred, “By golly, I did everything I could think of to get you to yell out, but you didn’t.”
Fred replied, “Well, I was going to say something when Edna fell out, but ten dollars is ten dollars.”
Doesn’t it feel good to laugh? Unfortunately, I’m afraid some of us have forgotten how to laugh. Fear seems to have taken a hold on many of us in these times which seem so uncertain, and our laughter has been replaced with our fears. There is the fear of our unsettled economy, the fear of our impending election of a new president; many have the fear of losing their job or their spouse either through death or divorce, or the fear of illness. Some of us may have the fear of sending our kids off to school this fall…wondering if they will be kept safe.
Now fear is an emotion and it is normal and all of us will experience some fear in our lifetime. Psalm 56:3 says, “When I am afraid, I will trust in You.” These words tell us that the issue isn’t so much whether or not we will have fear and worry. We learn by this Scripture that it assumes we will be afraid and anxious at times. What is important is where we turn and to whom we turn when we are afraid.
I want us to look at the letters in the word fear, F-E-A-R, and see what allowing fear to consume us says about our relationship with Christ.
First of all, when we allow fear to overwhelm us, it shows our lack of Faith in God. Let me ask you a question. How big is your God? Do you know that when we allow our fears to rule us, we make fear more powerful than our God? We’re saying, “God, I know you have parted the Red Sea, and raised people from the dead and created the entire universe, but I’m afraid that this particular situation I’m in is out of your jurisdiction. I think it is more than you can handle God. You are powerful, but this is probably more than even you can cope with.” And I think we have this picture in mind of God watching our life go on, rubbing his hands together, sweat dripping from his forehead and saying, “Oh boy, I never expected that to happen to LuAnn. What is she ever going to do now?”
When we open God’s precious Word…we find these reminders:
“You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!” Psalm 68:35
“You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the people.” Psalm 77:14
"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17
You see, faith is a mindset that expects God to act. When we act on this expectation – knowing that God can handle everything that comes along – we can begin to overcome our fears.
There is a statement which I have attached to all my emails which I send out and it says, “Real faith is not just receiving from God the things we want. Real faith is accepting from God the things He gives us. It is that acceptance that makes the difference.”
We need to ask ourselves how we are doing in this area. Is our faith in our all-powerful God…or is our faith in ourselves? Are we living our life in expectation…expecting God to handle everything in His perfect will and timing? If we aren’t…then we can expect fear to control us.
When fear begins to rear its ugly head this coming week, let’s stop and ask the question, “How big is my God?” If He is truly the Creator of the universe…the one who knit us together while we were in the womb…I’m guessing He can handle anything that comes our way.
See you next week. Don’t be late!
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