Facing our Fears

Franklin D. Roosevelt, at the height of the Great Depression, uttered these memorable words during his first inaugural address: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Fear seeps into our minds, leaving us apprehensive, discouraged, and anxious. Fear feeds on itself. Roosevelt recognized that fear brings panic and often the inability to act.

It's interesting that one of the synonyms for fear is distrust. It took me a long time to realize that when I let fear dominate my thoughts I am not trusting God.

I find it encouraging that seemingly weak people in the Bible are the very ones whom God often calls to carry out His plans. God called Gideon to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites. Gideon's answer - "But Lord, how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." God's reply - "I will be with you, and you will strike down the Midianites as if they were one man."

Gideon was obviously afraid, but God reassured him and used him anyway in spite of his fear. When God calls me to do something that seems overwhelming,I often look at my limited ability rather than God's great power.

And then there's Moses. Who can forget his response when God said to him, "Now go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt." Whoa! That hit Moses like a ton of bricks. He said to God, "But who am I, that I should go to Pharoah and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" We see God's patience as Moses threw out one excuse after another about why he couldn't do what God commanded. The Lord answered all his objections, yet Moses said, "O, Lord, please send someone else to do it." Then the Lord's anger burned against Moses.

Friends, this story motivates me to face my fears and obey God when He puts seemingly impossible tasks before me. Not because of His anger, but because no matter what Moses came up with, God's answer was bigger than Moses' fear.

When I was a student at DTS, I used Moses as my password to get into my student account because I felt like Moses. "Who am I to be doing"...whatever it was God was leading me to do. I changed my password to Esther during my last semester at DTS, choosing to believe that God had called me for "such a time as this." I still revert back to my doubting Moses identity occasionally, but thankfully I don't stay there.

Imagine the Creator of the universe wanting to use us to fulfill His purposes on earth! What could be more exciting, rewarding, or meaningful? As we face our fears, we will discover God's faithfulness in enabling us to complete whatever He calls us to do. Let's go for it!

Antidote to fear: A greater understanding of who God is, His power and might and ability to work through us when we submit to Him. That comes only from spending time with Him in prayer and in His word. How big is God in your eyes?