Skip to main content

How are you reacting to life right now? In faith or fear?

What was Jesus’s reaction to the disciples in the boat with him during the storm? “Why are you so afraid? O you of little faith?” (Matt. 8:26). Faith contrasts with fear.

When life is hard or bad things happen, we can live in fear or choose to trust each day to God’s wisdom, grace, and power. When God calls us to serve others, we can trust and follow him in faith or let our fears stop us.

Fear can prevent us from moving forward as leaders and influencers of people in our neighborhoods, churches, communities, and workplaces. It holds us back from serving because we’re focused on our own limitations and fear failure. We forget the great power of God that calls and enables us to serve.

You likely remember the story of Jesus casting out the legion of demons on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The witnesses told those in the area what had happened. Luke 8:37 says this, “Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.” (Luke 8:36-37)

Can you imagine what great works Jesus may have done if he had stayed? Healing, teaching, miracles? But they sent him away out of fear.

What if we are missing seeing God do great things because we act in fear rather than faith?

I need some time to come to God in faith and give him the fears I have today, and I encourage you to do the same. Let’s focus on his great power and wisdom, and thank him for his sovereignty over the fearful situations we face. Let’s ask him for the courage to act out of faith instead of fear.

Paul said to Timothy, his protege, in a time of great persecution, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control,” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.