Taking the teeth out of fear

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I don't show this side of me to many people. In fact, I think it would be safe to say that Jeff is the only one who truly knows this about me. So, here it is, there is a part of me that can get very anxious about the future. Not just the "I'm worried about. . . " but a sense of dread and deep foreboding that something life altering is going to come. My mind wanders at times in dark places. By the grace of God, I don't stay there long - He graciously draws my gaze to Himself and answers my prayers for peace and hope.

Most recently, these feelings have been elicited by conversations about the state of our world, the direction of the United States, and the uncertainties involved there. Even typing it, my blood pressure starts to rise. Not out of anger, but out of fear of the unknown.

And most recently, God has answered me with two assurances. One is that He knows everything, and the other is that nothing can separate me from His love. Let me explain.

Psalm 14:1 "The fool says in his heart,

"There is no God."
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good."

That was written over 2000 years ago, which reminds me that evil and corruption are not new to God. He has been leading his people through various governments for all of history, and He can certainly lead Jeff and I. None of our current world affairs, not wars or rumors of wars, not violent religious sects, not shocking developments in social justice, not health care, not immorality accepted in mainstream culture. . . none of our current world affairs surprise God. While this may seem "doom and gloom" it is exceptionally helpful and hopeful to me, because it means He is a God I can trust even if my worst fears come true. It takes the teeth out of my fear because God has proven Himself able to carry His people even in the worst of world circumstances.

A second reassurance for me was in my devotional reading this morning. I'm still working through Andrew Murray's book, "Abiding in Christ." It's great stuff, I just have to go slow and mull over it. This morning I read a paraphrase he wrote of Romans 8:38 and 39. "I am persuaded that neither death with its fears, nor life with it cares, nor things present with their pressing clams, nor things to come with their dark shadows, nor height of joy, nor depth of sorrow, nor any other creature, shall be able, for one single moment, to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." As I read this, it was another confirmation that God knows, He sees, and He is worthy to be trusted.

So I take my fears - founded or unfounded - and place them at the foot of the cross of Christ. Whatever hardship may come my way, or the way of my children or grandchildren (I told you my mind could wander) they are not new, nor are they too big, for God. And they can never negate the work that was done on the cross by Christ our Savior. And as Bill Johnson says, "You can't threaten me with heaven."