So the news has been full of stories the past few weeks. From the attacks in Norway to Amy Winehouse’s death to the Debt Debates for the US. Then there is the down-grade of the US credit rating to the riots in London. Of course there has been plenty more, but those are just a few. So what does it all mean? People hurting and killing others for basically no reason. A young person dealing with her own demons ends her life. A government spends more money than it makes. I think it actually ties in to the other.
I’ve heard a quote that says that “Fear is a great motivator.” I’m not sure where I heard it, but the truth is that fear is real. Fear is what caused people to make a run on the banks back in the Great Depression. Fear is often what leads to war (fear from further attacks and wanting to protect). It creates a fight or flight response. In any matter, fear can make drastic changes in someone’s life…create HUGE milestones.
I try to be as even-tempered as possible. It doesn’t always work out that way, but I do try. I try not to get my drawers bunched up…but just take one day at a time and let God take charge. Again…I try to do this.
I have had plenty of times where this happened in the past. Choosing a bad job instead of confronting someone. Listening to an outside influence instead of letting God speak to me and leading me. Leaving a great job because I was afraid to say “No.” Believing that if I loved someone, then I had to do what they said when it was obviously the wrong thing. The most difficult part is when you realize that your fight or flight decision has hurt people emotionally and you have to continually work to fix it…like for years.
God lets us make our own decisions. If we call on Him, he will guide us and instruct us, BUT it is still our choice. He is NOT surprised by what we decide. He knows before He guides and instructs. He knew when He created you what today would hold for you. Jesus was the same. He faced the cross with no fear…He knew what He had to go through. He saw the end before He even went through with it. Jesus faced the fear and fought. He didn’t run away. In fact, when the soldiers came to arrest Him and the disciples tried to fight them off, Jesus calmed them and even healed a soldier’s ear that had be cut off in the struggle. He walked to them. He didn’t fight.
WAIT!!!!
You mean Jesus didn’t have a fight or flight response? Nah. He knew that the fight was to come. He had to fight and win over death and the grave. That would be his fight.
The thing I can relate it to the closest is the training that the men and women of the military, police, first-responders and those that are trained to serve. Trained to put their lives on the line every day. It doesn’t mean that they aren’t afraid when something happens. It just means that they know what they have to do. They know their purpose and they aren’t going to back out when fear comes their way. They are trained for weeks and months. They go through scenarios that help to prepare them for the mental war that must be fought. After all, the mental war is often times more difficult. The fear, then becomes respect, knowledge, familiarity with what is happening. Split-second decisions are often what make the difference. Will I stand and fight? Will I try to seek shelter?
God is the same way. While the Hebrews in the Old Testament feared God (and rightfully so since He would open up the earth and swallow people). The New Covenant brought on by Jesus’ work on the cross changed the game. We should know and respect and love God. He is our Creator and Sustainer. We should respect God so much that we would draw closer to Him. “To know is to love?” Without a relationship, the Christian life will be based on fear. Maybe you got saved or have told you need to be saved and get “Fire Insurance” or maybe you went to one of those Halloween “Judgment” nights and had the Hell scared out of you. Well, that isn’t enough.
God WANTS a relationship with you. He wants to know you. He wants to let you know that He is for you and not against you. He isn’t a pissed-off teenager that has a magnifying glass and sitting over the ant hill…just waiting for you to come out and watch you burn.
GOD LOVES YOU!!!!!!!!!!
So. Face your fear of God. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, open up the Bible and get to know the one who saved you from Hell.
If you don’t know how to start, let me know. I’ll help you face your fears. Just strap on your boots and let’s get to it.
MTP
Prodigal Thinker 