Never fear
Hello again
Jobs at risk. The rising cost of living. Homegrown terrorism. War on our doorstep. We only need to turn on the evening news or scroll through our social media feeds to see that the potential for fear is everywhere.
If you have ever woken up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, heart pounding, you will well understand why psychologists say it is physiologically impossible to be fearful and relaxed at the same time.
Perhaps you or a friend or family member suffer from fear or the anxiety that arises from it. If so you are far from being alone. Which is perhaps why Christian philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that “fear defeats more people than anything else in the world.”
Is there an antidote to fear and if so, what is it? For the Christian, the answer is to trust in God. As Dr Michelle Bengston puts it, “Instead of focussing on the problem, focus on the Problem Solver”. Which is just another way of saying what Jesus told his disciples, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me (John 14:1 NLT)”.
I have never counted, but the sentiment, “do not be afraid” is commonly said to be repeated 365 times in the Bible, once for every day of the year. A neat way of reminding us that God is our ever present help in times of trouble.
Best wishes
Peter
About the Writer:
Peter Mill is a Minister and Regional Co-Pastor for Scotland, Ireland and the North of England.