Labor Day officially ends the lazy, hazy days of summer. It’s the last chance for many to enjoy a long weekend, family trips, cookouts and concerts. I’m in East Texas relaxing and taking many naps and deep breaths. This is my chance to get a break before what many say will be crazy days ahead — presidential election, world catastrophes, economy problems, crime, social unrest. Listen long enough and you will hear the “world” espouse what to fear and who to blame for it. But take comfort — God says repeatedly in scripture, “fear not.”
Fear, worry, apprehension can consume us with clouds of darkness, engulfing our thoughts and actions. We fear for our children’s well-being, our families, our financial future, our safety. The list goes on and on. Just think back, many of what we spend time worrying about, never happens. If you listen to news media, most of what they are reporting are opinions. Living under the weight of the “what if’s” is a horrible place to live and impossible place to live well.
The antidote for fear is God, He tells us over and over again to fear not for He is with us, He prepares our path, He is our ever-present help in time of need. It really boils down to a decision who to trust – God or man. He hasn’t failed me, but if I put my trust in myself or others, always fails.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made it clear: “. . .Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they? And can you, by worrying, add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the [ungodly people] who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:25-33)
We live in troubling times, but God never promised us a life without trouble. What He has promised is the assurance He will walk with us through every trial. He is the Creator of the Universe, and He is bigger than all the problems this world will ever face. No wonder He can say to us, “Fear not!”
“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
Tagged: east texas, fear and worry, scripture
