Fear’s Grip
Fear is a natural response to perceived danger. Yet, ideally, fear can be overcome. For the Christian, fear is a drawing down of the sail in the sailboat that is our life with the result that we are unable to be borne along by God’s Spirit (WPNT note on Acts 20:20). It is failure to rely on God’s empowerment but, instead, relying on some other source (Ps 46:1-2, Message). It is a result of rowing, rather than sailing. Fear displays a weak hope (2 Cor 3:12, Lamsa).
We often overrate fear. It need not be incapacitating (2 Tim 1:7). If we focus on our fear, we can become irrational, unwilling to move forward, seeking not to lose instead of striving to succeed (Mt 25:24-25). Fear then grips and incapacitates us. We must take risks (Mt 25:30, Message). In the American Civil War, the Union commanders in the East were frequently unwilling to risk because they were paralyzed by fear. What Edmund Burke said was true of them: “No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.” They needed to look more at their own resources and what they could do to the Confederates. Grant ended up taking this view and it greatly contributed to Union success.
The Lord wants to deliver us from our fears (Ps 34:4). He wants us to take risks about what his will for us is (Acts 16:6-10). We need to give it our best guess then proceed. Even when we make mistakes, it will not be disastrous because He will sustain us (Ps 37:23-24). Moreover, He will be pleased because we acted in faith – and actions based in faith please Him (Heb 11:6; Rom 14:23). Love for the Lord, for others, and for what is right is the antidote for fear (1 Jn 4:18; Heb 1:9). Recognizing that our loving Lord is with us keeps us from fear (Isa 41:10). We will never be completely free from fear in this life because it is only perfect love that eliminates all fear (1 Jn 4:18).
Forgiveness is not for petty matters.