The Lie Behind Our Fears
And forgettest the LORD thy maker, That hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; And hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, As if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor? (Isaiah 51:13, KJV)
Fear is a powerful, destructive and disabling emotion that made its way into our lives with the entrance of sin in the Garden of Eden. Fear is always connected to perceived reality, whether that reality is real or not. Let me illustrate this with two examples. Imagine a man who sees a hungry 500-pound African lion approaching him. Fear in this context is real, and it is related to a real potential of injury or death. If this man says to himself “ there is nothing to fear about this lion”, it is either he has what it takes to face this lion or he is out of his mind and not in touch with reality.
Now think about another man who imagines that a lion might meet him if he steps out of the house. There is no lion. His thoughts or perception of danger generates his fear. The fear as a feeling is real, but the reality is not. This man is living a lie, perceiving risks and danger when there is none.
It is astonishment how much of our fears in life are not tied to reality. However, this is not just the reason why God tells us not to be afraid as in the verse above. He knows that there are real dangers around us sometimes. However, He tells us that we have what it takes because He is with us. The lie in our fears tells us that the situation will destroy us, whereas greater is He is in us that he that is in the world!
MEDITATE
What situation in your life is currently causing anxiety or fears?
APPLY THE WORD
The Lord says “fear not”, “be anxious for nothing”, not because there is just nothing to fear, but because He is with you!
PRAY
Ask the Lord to help you come out of the lies of fears and anxieties in life.