As Christians, how do we face fear? Phillip Keller writes, "Too many of us are shaken up, frightened and panicked by the storms of life. We claim to have confidence in Christ, but when the first dark shadows sweep over us and the path we tread looks gloomy we go into a deep slump of despair...This is not as it should be."
When fear invades our spirits, we need to turn to the One in whom we have confidence--Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. The One who tells us that He is with us always,"to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:20).
Oswald Chambers writes, "The problems of life get hold of a man or woman and make it difficult to know whether in the face of these things he or she really is confident in Jesus Christ. The attitude of a believer must be 'Things do look bad, but I believe Him; and when the whole thing is told, I am confident my belief will be justified and God will be revealed as a God of love and justice.' It does not mean that we won't have problems, but it does mean that our problems will never come in between us and our faith in Him. 'Lord, I don't understand this, but I am certain that there will be an explanation, and in the meantime I put it to one side.'
Although we may not understand why certain things happen in our lives, God instructs us to be strong and courageous, for "no one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life...I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5). Do you have this confidence--that God is with you in the storms of life? That you can trust in Him and he will bring you through it all? Or do you trust in something other than Christ: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God: (Psalm 20:7).
David wrote of his trust in God in many of the Psalms, most notable, Psalm 23: "I will fear no evil, for You are with me" (verse 4). Phillip Keller writes, "It is a most reassuring and reinforcing experience to the child of God to discover that there is, even in the dark valley, a source of strength and courage to be found in God....Because He has led me through without fear before, He can do it again, and again, and again. In this knowledge fear fades and tranquility of heart and mind takes its place."
The only confidence we have in this life is knowing that God is always with us. He is our Protector, Comforter, and Guide. And if we are wise enough, we will look for and find God in every moment, filled with the assurance that He is with us through the good and the bad, the known and the unknown, the beginning and the end. He is there when others are not. If we follow God--through prayer and the reading and application of His Word--He will keep us close to Him, traveling down the right path, until we reach our home, where He greets us. Within the shelter of His embrace, fear is vanquished.
Phillip Keller writes, "The person with a powerful confidence in Christ; the one who has proved by past experience that God is with him in adversity; the one who walks through life's dark valley without fear, his head held high, is the one who in turn is a tower of strength and a source of inspiration to his companions."
Be a person with powerful confidence in Christ. Renew your mind each and every morning with God's truth, for that truth is what will keep you confident and expectant throughout the day. Plant God's Word in your heart and mind. Pray for His deliverance: "Deliver me from evil." Leave your fears at His feet.
Reflect on your past experiences, how God has carried you through. Go to your Protector, Guide, and Good Shepherd, for He and His Word are the only things that can set you free from all fear as You trust and hope in Him. Know that "God will command his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will carry you in their arms, and they won't hurt your feet on the stones: (Psalm 91:11-12).
~Donna K. Maltese
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