Faith vs. Fear

By Richard (Dick) Innes, Daily Encounter Friday, March 13, 2009

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?"1

Nelson Mandela may be a controversial figure to some but I think you will agree with what he said when quoting Marianne Williamson (I believe it was) in the following: "Playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. You were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within you. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as you let your own light shine, you unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As you are liberated from your own fear, your presence automatically liberates others."

I don't know whether we are ever totally liberated from fear in this life; for fear seems to be inherent in all of us to some degree. And while faith in God doesn't guarantee freedom from fear, it does empower us to defuse fear's control over us and free us to achieve all that God has envisioned for us to do and achieve.

Think again of the heroes of faith in the Bible — faith empowered them to do what God had called them to do. God's Word says about them: "By faith Noah ... By faith Abraham ... By faith Isaac ... By faith Jacob ... By faith Joseph ... By faith Moses ... By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land ... By faith the walls of Jericho fell ... By faith Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets ... conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies."2

True...some unresolved fears from the past can cripple us but these, too, through faith, doing our part, and God's help can be overcome. We'll address these in Monday's Daily Encounter.

While only a few may be called to do great things for God, all of us are called to bring glory to God through what we do. To achieve this we need faith. And faith is a choice...it is a choice to put our trust in God (regardless of our fears) and to do what David chose to do. He prayed to God, "When I am afraid, I will trust in you ... in God I trust."

When our time on earth is done, may it also be said of you and me, "By faith _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (put your name in the blank space) walked with God and achieved...."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, today I choose to trust my life to you. Help me to know what you want me to achieve with my life and give me the faith to do it—and the faith to not allow any of my fears to control me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Psalm 56:3-4, (NIV). 2. See Hebrews 11.

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