President Franklin Roosevelt said in His first inaugural address to the nation in 1933 that "...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself..." He of course was referring to the nation's future in coming out of the great depression and belief in itself that better days lay ahead. As I thought about this statement, a very spiritual truth seems hidden inside it as well.
As believers we are called to reach people with the good news of salvation from our sin and sure eternal death through the payment given by Jesus Christ himself. We are called to share the good news, wherever we are called by Him. Many times we are faced with decisions to go where we may not desire to go, but we follow (if we know what's good for us!). And sometimes the place that He leads may take us out of safety and into the unknown and uncertainty of the future. I can hear God speaking even now in my mind, saying to the believer, "the only thing you have to fear is fear itself my child". Truthfully, the only thing we have to be afraid of, is being afraid. If your life is about glorifying God and living in a oneness with Him (John 15), than what do you have to fear? What's the worst that can happen? Death? Jesus states in Matthew 10:28 that as disciples we are not to fear "those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul". We become so worried about harm & even death while Jesus says "Is that all your worried about?" Do not fear man, because all he can take is the life of the body, not the life of the eternal soul. We must come to the place where we overcome the fear of fear, and replace it with the joy of obedience to the creator. Not an easy task, but one we must get.
As I write this, I find myself struggling in this as much as the next person, but as long as we're taking steps in the right direction we are being obedient to Christ. Join me in continuing to die to self and live for Christ, because no one can take that from us. Take risks...share the gospel...go where called, and know that "to live is Christ, and to die is gain".
Amen!
