Blog

  • Faith Over Fear
     
    As we move into October our shops and supermarket have dispensed with school
    uniforms, pencil cases and notebooks, and you now can’t navigate an aisle 
    out running the gauntlet of pumpkins, skeletons, ghosts and witches. Hallowe’en
    decorations adorn every shop window, and TV schedules are filled with
    thrillers and horror films. Whether we embrace or avoid the event, it’s 
    impossible not to notice the cultural fascination fear.
     
    Fear is a natural part of being human and is not always a bad thing. The Bible calls us to a healthy ‘fear of the Lord’, which really means awe, reverence and respect for God’s majesty (Proverbs 9:10). This kind of fear keeps us humble and reminds us of who is in control.
     
    However, fear has an unhealthy side. The fear that we are unsafe, that we
    are not enough, or that we are alone, for example, affects us all at some
    time. I know I suffer these fears on a regular basis and I very much doubt
    that I am alone in this.
     
    Hallowe’en may exploit our fascination with fear with fantasy costumes,
    ghoulish props and shadows, but the truth is that real life is often frighten-
    ing. Health worries currently affect several of our congregation. Financial
    strain, world news, and family struggles can leave us all unsettled. How do
  • we hold on to our faith when life feels so uncertain? Psalm 23 reminds us
    that, even though we walk through dark times, we need not fear. It re-
    minds us that we are not alone, and that God walks with us. Fear loses its
    power when we remember that we are never alone.
     
    Our instinct is often to repress our fears, or to manage them ourselves.
    Scripture, however, calls us to give our anxieties to God, because He
    cares for us. Admitting that we are afraid and praying honestly about our
    fears is a first step towards peace. The phrase ‘Do not be afraid’ is re-
    peated many times in the Bible. This is a gentle reminder that God is near.
    Isaiah 41:10 states it clearly ‘Do not fear, for I am with you.’
     
    As Christians, our response to fear can be a witness to the world. The
    calm assurance that comes from trusting Jesus is a powerful message. If
    we can display trust instead of anxiety, prayer instead of panic we can
    bring some light into the darkness.
     
    It would be unrealistic to think that we will never feel fear. Even the disci-
    ples felt terror during the storm at sea, and the waves of awful news that
    currently come at us daily, seemingly relentless, are enough to scare any-
    one and make us feel helpless. However, when Jesus rose and said
    ‘Peace, be still’ He showed that He has the power, even when the situa-
    tion looks hopeless.
     
    So, while Hallowe’en may come and go with its masks and costumes, we
    need to face our fears all year around. This October, and all the other
    months, we need to choose light over darkness, faith over fear, and give
    our anxieties to God, remembering that He is stronger than anything that
    seeks to undermine us. As 1 John 4:18 reminds us ‘ Perfect love drives
    out fear’
     
    Love and God bless
    Sue