God’s love against fears
Fear, worry and uncertainty characterize our times. The global situation is worrying. Politicians fear an escalation of wars, including nuclear and civil wars. The Middle East remains a powder keg. Natural disasters are increasing despite the most modern technology. What is the situation in our own country? Many companies are relocating their locations abroad. The remaining companies are reducing wages and extending working hours. The fear of unemployment is great and many are prepared to do anything to keep their jobs. Older workers in particular face a bleak future if they lose their jobs.
Our health system is causing further uncertainty with constantly rising health insurance contributions. The prices of rent, electricity, heating and petrol are constantly rising. How will you make ends meet? There are also numerous personal fears: the fear of cancer during a check-up, the fear of losing your partner to illness or the end of a relationship, and worries about the future of your children. These fears and worries lead to mental illness, a rising suicide rate among young people and people who seek escape in alcohol, drugs or other problematic behaviour. What about us Christians? We also struggle with fears. There are times when we accept the trials of life calmly, but there are also times of fear. So what should we do?
What fears?
It is important to distinguish between useful and harmful fears. The fear that ensures our survival is necessary when we face genuine danger. This fear warns us and compels us to immediate action. For example, if I am swimming in the sea and see a shark's fin, my fear is justified. In my mortal fear, I cry out to God because I cannot save myself. The fear of God, on the other hand, is not fear in the conventional sense, but a form of reverence and hope. It reminds us that God is the source of all wisdom: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; those who follow his teachings are truly prudent. His praise endures forever." (Ps 111,10).
Many people have phobias such as fear of mice, spiders, snakes, confined spaces, heights, or flying. These fears do not affect our spiritual life. Although they burden us, they are not the kind of fears that cause us lasting harm.
Fear is an emotion focused on ourselves. The stronger our self-centeredness, the more we fear that something might happen to our "self." However, God wants to give us inner peace, tranquility, and serenity. He wants us to entrust our lives to Him and surrender ourselves completely to Him. In the Bible, in the Book of Proverbs, God shows us how important serenity is for our health: "A serene heart gives life to the flesh." (Spr 14,30).
Our Creator knows what is good for our bodies and how harmful fears and worries can be for us: "A cheerful heart is good for the body, but a crushed mind makes the bones wither." (Spr 17,22)The question is: How can we achieve this state of inner peace and serenity?
Faith against worries and fears
How can we be freed from these fears and worries? Jesus Christ himself gives us an answer: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt 11,28–30)Jesus is the only source of our inner peace and tranquility.
Global crises are part of this fallen world: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for this must happen. But the end is not yet. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” (Mt 24,6–7).
Jesus encourages us not to be afraid: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Joh 16,33).
Trust and devotion to God
God does not want us to live in fear, but to be free from it. But to do so, we must work with Him. An example of this can be found in the biography of the Christian author TW Hunt, from his book "The Mind of Christ". In it, he describes how Jesus freed him step by step from his fears: "I realized that my emotional captivity was strongly influenced by fear. So I wrote down all my fears and realized that they often had to do with self-protection: fear about money, worry about job security, and fear of not being able to provide adequately for my family. These fears showed my lack of trust in God. Letting Jesus Christ live in us means trusting God completely to provide for us. So I laid my fears before Jesus Christ in prayer and asked Him to change my mind according to His will. I surrendered myself completely to Him. This developed in me a new security based on resting in Him and letting Him work in me. His work transformed me from a posture of self-protection to a posture of security and safety in Jesus.
Steps to Overcoming Fears
What did this man do? We see three essential steps he took to be freed from his burdens, sins and fears:
- The will to examine yourself and confess to it.
- He presented his burdens to Jesus Christ in prayer, trusting that only he could free him from them. Trusting in God is therefore an important step in being freed from our fears.
- He asked for a change of mind. He gave himself completely to Jesus Christ. Without total surrender, we will not experience fundamental change.
Each of us can have this experience and be freed from harmful fears. It is a process that takes place within us step by step. God shapes us in love and patience, each in a different way. The prerequisite is that we desire the change in our minds: "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." (Phil 2,13).
The principle is not our own willpower, but turning our thoughts to God: “Yes, set your minds on God’s heavenly realm and not on what constitutes this earthly world.” (Kol 3,2).
Paul shows us a principle that helps us with difficult decisions, so that we don't make wrong decisions based on our emotions. Humans can control their will, but not their feelings: "My weapons in this battle are not those of a weak person, but the mighty weapons of God. With them I tear down strongholds, bring down false structures, and bring down pride in the face of knowledge. I take captive every arrogant thought and bring it under the command of Christ." (2. Kor 10,4-5).
When we see our lives from God's perspective, they are a test, especially when we don't feel God's presence or when He seems distant. God's goal is for us to pass the tests of our lives: "No temptation has come to you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." (1. Kor 10,13).
Our future surpasses our limited understanding. We don't fully grasp how much God loves us. People who surrender to God obey Him, even if they don't understand everything. We should learn to let go of things and consciously place our lives in God's hands. Jesus was asleep in the boat when a great storm threatened the ship, and the disciples were afraid: "Why are you afraid? Is your faith so small?" And he got up and rebuked the wind and the waves, and immediately everything was calm again. (Mt 8,25–26).
How do we react when life's storms come? Are we calm and composed, trusting fully in God, or do we often feel like the disciples? The natural person is trapped in anxieties, worries, and fears. The cause is self-protection and self-centeredness. These feelings were foreign to Jesus Christ. It is difficult to understand that serious illness, the loss of a loved one, or a fall into poverty are meant to serve our best interests. But it is precisely these very difficult circumstances that require faith: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4,6–7).
God’s love against fears
Love dispels our fears and heals our wounds: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (1. Joh 4,18).
God wants us to grow in love and for our trust in him to become stronger: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (Jak 1,12)
The perfect love of Jesus Christ makes your everyday life more beautiful and richer. His love frees you from insecurities and fears and becomes a blessing for those around you who feel your love. If you love God with all your heart, you will enjoy spending a lot of time with him in prayer. You will be happy to trust him and give yourself to him. Jesus will carry you through the storms of life.
by Christine Joosten
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