Overcoming Fear

     What are you afraid of? Many drown in the negativity of our environment.  The news has an old adage that follows, “if it bleeds it leads.”  Bad news seems to permeate the cultural air we breathe.  Our minds can spiral down scary scenarios of “what if. . . “  Often our fears reveal what is most valuable to us.  Our fears can reveal the areas where we least trust the Lord. The last time I was genuinely afraid was a while back; text messages started coming in on my phone saying, “active shooter at Lathrop.”  Our youngest child is a student there and I was seriously frightened for his safety.  Media images of past school shootings flooded my mind.  Fortunately, it was simply a scare/threat and not an actual incident. 
      How should we deal with fear? 
     One, turn your eyes to the Lord.  In times of trouble and fear, look up.  I was at Journey Church when I started getting those frightening texts.  I literally went into the sanctuary and began to pray and even worship.  This action turned my focus away from what I could not control to the maker of heaven and earth who is sovereign.  I do not claim to always understand God’s sovereignty, but I believe it.  He gives people a free will and so there can be a great deal of pain as a result; I pray fervently because God reserves the right to intervene.  I think of the famous story in the Bible of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  They were Jews who had been taken from their homes to live in exile in Babylon.  They were navigating life under the authority of the wicked Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar.  They were doing well until the king built a statue and said everyone must bow to it and worship.  As Jews committed to the real God of the Scriptures they could not do this.  When the king saw them defy his order, he threw them into a fiery furnace to execute them.  However, God intervened.  He sent an angel, or some say God the Son (Jesus), to stand with them in the fire and protect them.  The evil king was impressed, did a spiritual u-turn and ordered his people to worship the true God of these three servants.  I love this story because God miraculously intervened, which he can choose to do at any time.  I also appreciate this story because these young men exhibit the tenacious faith we are called to.  When defying the king they said, “if we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from your Majesty’s hand.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:17, 18). We are called to be faithful and celebrate when God intervenes and cling to him even when he appears to sit on his hands and let free will take its course.  We are to have a courageous “even if” kind of faith.
     Second, rely on others.  All the way back in Genesis God says it is not good for man to be alone.  We are to do life with others.  Others can help.  In the Lathrop incident the school administration handled things well.  The police quickly responded to the threat.  Had there been an actual attack I have no doubt the professional response would have ended the incident quickly.  And had the incident been an “even if” type of event I would have relied on my family and the faith family of my church to walk through grief and loss. A pain shared with others is a pain reduced in intensity.         
     In a dark, broken, even scary world we must reject fear and fully trust God!
Pastor Derek Dickinson
Journey Christian Church