Fear is a two-edged sword that can create both negative and positive outcomes. On the negative side it can rob and steal our joy. It can keep us from experiencing peace and from being all God created us to be. On the positive side, it can bring about change. It can challenge us, motivate us, redefine us and propel us to make a move. God knew we’d deal with fear. The words “fear not” are mentioned over 180 times in the Bible. The Spirit of God does not produce negative fear, so why are we afraid? A great deal of fear and anxiety come from our inability to know what the future holds. We have more information at our fingertips than we can possibly process and a lot of it is misinformation. Everyone is trying to predict the future. Government and health agencies point one direction and business and finance point another. By the time we take in all the news swirling around us and ponder all the “what if’s” we find ourselves drained physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. We can’t look at L-IF-E without “if”; it’s right there in the middle. However, we can live without fear by looking to God’s Word for guidance and comfort.

Scripture
Josh 1:2-3, 7, 9, 3:15-16; Pr 16:9; Ec 8:7; Is 41:10; Jer 29:11; Mt 6:27, 34; 1 Ti 1:7; Js 4:14, 17

Verses
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Ti 1:7) Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come? (Ec 8:7) “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Mt 6:27)

Thought
If fearful times, consider these “Don’ts.” 1) Don’t try to control the future. We do not know what will happen in the next hour, day or week. All we have is the present. Our attempts to control the future bring on a lot of sweating, fretting, and frustration. Live in the present; it’s God’s gift. 2) Don’t Panic. Life can pass you by while you panic about what could or might happen. Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow. (Mt. 6:34) We can only live in the present so don’t allow panic and worry to rob you of today. 3) Don’t put off until tomorrow what you should do today. Christians can sin by doing nothing. We quickly recognize the sins that involve our actions; these are sins of commission. There are also sins of omission; these sins are committed when we know we should do something, but we fail to act. Procrastination is a subtle trap of living in the future. Procrastination assumes there’s always tomorrow, but we only have today! So, what are the “dos?” 1) Plan with God. Prayerfully seek God’s direction with the sound mind he gave you. Do the best you can with the information you have, but rest in the fact that the future is in God’s hands. 2) Stay in the Word. You will find solid ground by spending time in God’s Word during these days of disruption. Set aside time each day. You will find advice, guidance, encouragement and peace. 3) Step out in faith. Faith is not just a mental exercise, it requires action. It’s more than saying, “I believe in Jesus.” Allow God to guide you and step out in faith. The first step is the hardest, but God is with you every step of the way.

Questions
Do you have fear about the future? If so, what is troubling you? Has fear ever overwhelmed you and been debilitating? What have you done to combat fear? What new approach might you take in light of the information above? How do you view the future? Are you pessimistic or optimistic? Explain. What is there to be optimistic about? What do you need to do that you have been putting off?

Response
Read God’s Word and pray every day. If you have fear, discuss it with a Christian friend. Face your fear and combat it with God’s help. Faith overcomes fear. Listen to Christian music, ingest less news and more Bible based information.

Prayer
Father, allow your word to penetrate my heart and mind and help me to rest in your sovereignty. Help my faith to grow and my fear to diminish. I know that you are in control, but my heart sometimes betrays what I know to be true. Forgive me for my lack of faith. Help me to be strong and courageous as I live each day in the present, looking forward to the future you have in store. In Jesus Name I pray, amen.