Warning! Fear.

I feel like I am always experiencing some form of fear. I’m nervous (I use it synonymously with fearful) to raise my hand in class because I don’t want to be wrong. I’m scared to speak in front of an audience. Why? That is an entirely ingrained, unfortunate fear. Sometimes I’m afraid to drive my car because I allow scenarios like car accidents to harass my thoughts. The idea of meeting someone new makes me nervous because what if I don’t know what to talk about with them? or what if they don’t like me? I’m surrounded by this spirit of fear, and I know that I’m not alone.

The dictionary defines fear as “a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.” Why is it then that at most of these situations where fear springs up there is no real “impending danger”? Maybe you’ve heard of that acronym for FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real. Most of what I fear never even becomes a reality. Most likely meeting that new person went smoothly; I didn’t get in a car accident either; and often times speaking up in class paid off. They are fears with unstable foundations or none at all.

It is worthy to note that fear itself is not an emotion in the first place. I think that a lot of the time we associate it with being an emotion. “I felt so afraid,” or “I was so fearful for her.” Likewise, God did not give us fear. Rather fear is a spirit sent by Satan to torment us. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). This spirit of fear (aka “timidity”) that I turn to wants me to feel uncertain because it hinders my relationship with the Lord. God gave us the spirit to be strong, to love, and to trust in His will for us. For what is to come that He has not already planned? That is such a key reminder to help me smother this tormenting spirit. He is for us, not against us; therefore, should we not trust in his plan and remember His righteousness? He tells us, “do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). God sent us the Holy Spirit so that we might seek this strength and trust rather than to sink into the belief of a new and gross spirit called fear.

One of my favorite passages in the bible is in Matthew 6 where Jesus tells us not to worry. “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” he asks. If anything, I’d have to say it takes time away. It wastes time, that’s for sure. When I worry, when I fear, nothing gets done to its full potential and nothing brings glory to God. Why go through the days worrying—wasting days away? “Do not worry about tomorrow,” Jesus says, “for tomorrow will worry about itself” (Matthew 6:34).

Stand firm and trust. Do this and we have peace that is unattainable through the world. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives,” so, “do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

Thank you Lord that we are not obliged to this spirit of fear. Thank you that You’ve given us more: the ability to stand and trust.