Faith Over Fear
Fear taunts even the most faithful. Abram showed tremendous faith in following God into the unknown; however, we will see that fear periodically strangled that faith throughout his lifetime. The man who trusted God continually couldn’t see to trust Him in the face of the danger that his imagination convinced him of. Was Sarai beautiful? Obviously, she was extremely desirable to have so many men seek her as a wife. But to think that her beauty, and man’s lust, could derail God’s promises and protection undercuts the faith that Abram is well known for.
Fear almost stole Abram’s blessing because fear is the enemy of faith. We all experience fear. Whether it is as a childish fear of monsters under our bed or the fear of losing our job or terminal illness, fear will always play a part in our lives. Fear is, afterall, one of the most powerful tools in Satan’s weaponry. With fear, he can convince us to stop moving. He can convince us to run back to where we last felt safe. He can, like he did with Abram, convince us to hide behind a lie. At the heart of every fear is a whisper of distrust. Do you believe that God can sustain you; save you; use the hard times of life as a blessing despite the curse? That is faith. Faith is trust. Trust springs from love. “But perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18)
Woodrow Kroll once commented, “Don’t allow fear to keep you from being used by God. He has kept you thus far, trust Him for the rest of the way.” And Rick Warren once wrote, “Fear is a self-imposed prison that will keep you from becoming what God intends for you to be.” We all face fearful situations. We can succumb to that fear. We can hide our heads under the blankets and stay locked away where we last felt comfort, or we can place that fear in God’s hands. We can step out in faith despite the fear we feel. We can trust that God’s plans never crumble. Even difficult and fearful times lead to victory in God’s hands. Don’t let fear steal your faith. Fear is natural, but faith can move mountains.
Comments