Fear is not an option

So once upon a time, this pretty little verse played on repeat in my head. (And no, I'm not talking about during the multiple Lifeway VBS's - which used this scripture as their memory verse - I helped with over the summer, although I'm sure it did then too!) It was during one of the toughest talks I've had with a "friend" in my entire life. And as much as I wanted to blurt it out to my friend the moment it popped into my head, it wasn't meant for him. It was meant for me, and it was as if God was saying, "stop worrying, I'm holding you no matter what the results of this conversation."

My conversation seems petty compared to the fears of others, though. One, in particular, sheds a different light on God's Word.

This image - the "pretty," Pinterest-esque poster - came from one of my Mom's best friends. Her name was Wanda, and at the time that she shared this on her Facebook wall, she was battling cancer. It was a fight that here recently most would say she lost, but I believe she won victoriously. Just last week, she went Home to a place I cannot wait to be. Through her nine year fight, though, she never feared. Not once did she say "I can't do this." Through it all, she took to heart what God says in this verse. She believed and accepted the power, love and sound mind that God gave her, and she boldly chose to live it out rather than fear.

For the longest time, I stowed this particular passage away in my head. It had power in the moment in which I needed it and spoke strongly for Wanda's situation - and that seemed to be enough for me. But here lately I'm finding that like every other verse of God's Word, this is meant to be lived by on a daily basis. It's good, solid advice about something that we do all too often - fear.

I've experienced fear in a variety of ways, just like, I'm sure, we all have.

When I was a little girl, I feared sleeping in my bed at night. I could imagine the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz creeping under my bed, and she scared me! At one of my VBS's from the summer, I recall asking my 3rd- and 4th-graders what they feared. One jokingly said, "my mom!" Although he meant it in a funny way, the fear of verbal or physical abuse from a parent could be a legitimate fear for a child.

Once we grow up, our fears change. Suddenly, we fear the future and, more specifically, our lack of control of it. We fear for ourselves and for others. Our fears become similar to Wanda's (or rather, what the world thinks those should be for a person in her situation). We fear for the people we know and love now, and even for the unborn people in our lives - our future children and families.

"The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father.""
- Romans 8:15

God reminds us, though, in this, that He holds the lives of those people as well. He is not only our Father, and our Husband, but also our son's Father, and our granddaughter's Husband. When He saves us, He takes us out of our slavery to sin (and with that, fear), and He adopts all who believe as His own children. He goes before us and He will remain long after us. He takes our fear and turns it into faith.

God does this by giving us a peace of mind and reminding us that He knows what He's doing, even when we don't. His wisdom is greater than ours on so many levels! Yet, He wants to give us wisdom and understanding so that we will resist fear and put our faith in Him.

"And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord."
- Isaiah 11:2

When He gives us this wisdom, we can develop a faith like Wanda's. Though I never said how strong her faith was, I'm sure you can imagine that someone who disregards fear in the face of cancer must have a pretty unwavering faith. God gave her wisdom and understanding when her faith was challenged most. Just like she was, we are taught that fear is not an option.

I love how God not only takes away our fears, but He also proclaims that we are above them! He tells us that He has given us power, love and a sound mind. He tells us this, and He proves it to us by giving us faith.