So many people today are living in fear. There is the fear of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, where you could find yourself being mugged at knifepoint, or even worse, you could be caught up in a terrorist incident. Then there are other, more familiar fears which many have lived with, almost since birth:

• The fear of failure – perhaps heightened by pressure from parents wanting us to be a success.
• The fear of loneliness – even in a city of millions, many people feel so alone.
• The fear of not being able to pay your bills.
• The fear of illness, of growing old, and of death.

All these fears are all too real to so many people.

Even for Christian believers, fear can rear its head in our lives. Whether we’re tired, weak or stressed, it’s just there. Of course, not all fear is negative. Fear can keep us from putting our hand into a fire, fear can make us vigilant, fear is an inbuilt God given reaction to danger that protects us. But there is a difference between a fear that protects and a fear that paralyses.

The type of fear I am writing about is an intense anxiety about something bad we expect to happen soon or in the future. Maybe for you, it’s a hard conversation that needs to happen, a diagnosis, or an unexpected expense. Perhaps you have a speech to give, a major surgery, or an upcoming high-stress appointment.

There are many scriptures we can hold on to in times of fear, one of which the psalmist presents in our header scripture. The title of this psalm attributes it to King David, and he provides two things to help us when we are afraid:

Trust in God – God had looked after David, protected him, promised and blessed him with so much (Psalm 56:13). We, too, are safe in his hands and can trust in him confidently with our lives and our future, even when the outcome seems dire.  

Don’t be afraid of what people might do – David had enemies and adversaries pursuing him (vv.1-2), but God was for him, and he did not need to fear what they might do to him (v.9). We, too, know that God is all-powerful, eternal, wise, kind, gracious and loving. No matter what others do or threaten to do, the Lord’s plans will prevail.

In a world where so many are caught in this iron grip of fear, that in one way or another, controls and dominates their lives, the birth narratives of Jesus can be a real help to us. On four separate occasions, God sent angelic messengers to earth with messages connected to the birth of his Son. Each time, they brought news which troubled the hearts of their hearers and caused them to fear. But on the four times the angels appeared, they spoke the words, ‘fear not’ or in our more modern usage ‘do not be afraid’. During the upcoming season of Advent, we will explore the messages of these angels to learn from them what it means not to be afraid. 

Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead 
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA

Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm

Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:  
wordoflife@gracecom.church