Fear Not. Easier Said than Done.

Don’t you just love hearing or reading a Bible passage where angels show up unexpectedly in their mystical form and the first thing off their angel lips is … "Do not be afraid." Easy for them to say. They are experiencing the very real presence of God.

Fear is a paralyzing thing. What do people fear most? While they list no source for this answer, Ask.Com offers the top ten things that people are afraid of: fear of flying, fear of public speaking, fear of heights, fear of the dark, fear of intimacy, fear of death, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of spiders, and fear of commitment.

Do you resonate with any of those? Business people deal with fear every day.  One business owner I knew in California was quite successful in the title insurance business. Yet he said he often woke up in a cold sweat fearing he would not have another customer. It only settled his soul to see that first business order come in the next morning.

A book I’ve really enjoyed reading is from talk radio host, Ken Coleman.  It’s titled, One Question. Ken has interviewed hundreds of leaders from all walks of life. He selected thirty six of them to provide answers to life changing questions. This included how to deal with fear.

Ken asked Michael Hyatt, chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers, about how he has had to push through fear often in his life. Here is what this very successful business leader said, “I think that fear is the number one obstacle that most people face.” Hyatt has lain awake many nights wondering what will happen to him, his company, and his family.

His solution? Hyatt says, “When I am afraid I have a practice of walking right into my fears. Most of the power of fear is in your mind. It doesn’t really exist.” Powerful words. Except in dealing with spiders.

The Bible tells us that perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18). That would be the debilitating type of fear. Interestingly, the Bible also talks about another kind of fear. A healthy fear known as “the fear of the Lord.” This fear brings blessings and benefits. We’re told it is the beginning of wisdom and leads to good understanding.

One might conclude that the best relief from the bad kind of fear is the good kind.  We must come to know and believe deeply that God has provision for everything and that all power is His. In this secure environment, personal and professional fears cannot hold ground.

Are you in the grip of fear today? Like Peter trying to walk on water, grab hold of the One who knows no fear. He loves you. Even if you can’t walk on water.

That's the way WE work. For Moody Radio, I'm Mark Elfstrand.