The Fears We Wrestle With… Hello weekend readers. My musing on this day started with the war on Iran. I fear for the people in Iran, our military who we have now 6 dead, children dying, and so much more. ‘War is hell’ my dad would say and he knew it well as a sniper in WWII. But my musings are not just about a military war with other countries, but the war we wrestle with fear every day. Some have more fear than others, but nevertheless, fear finds its way. Here is a rather cute and true story from a mom who reads my devotions. Her story was back when her young and precocious almost-6-year-old son was struggling with fear. Here’s the story…

I was making supper using a brand-new recipe and I thought I was just about ready until I took one more look at the recipe—good thing I did—it needed the thick celery soup! I asked Josh to go into the pantry and get me a can of celery soup. He looked at me with ‘stink-eye’ saying, “Nope, the pantry is dark and scares me. You do it.” I tried not to be frustrated at him but his fear of the dark gets out-of-hand often. I tried again, got a ‘no’ so I told him, “I think it’s OK to go in there because Jesus will be in there with you.” Josh has a way of looking at people as if they are nuts, but he did it and my heart jumped “finally!” He was hesitant, but he opened the door slightly, then stopped and turned at looked at me and smiled, and that’s what I knew he was up to something…he shouted out to the pantry “Jesus, if you are in our pantry, could you hand me a can of celery soup cuz my mom needs it for dinner.”

OK, we all laugh but it was a true story and honestly, it took Josh a long time to face the fears he had. Thankfully the church they went to had a wonderful youth pastor who helped Josh with his constant fears. Today, Josh is a pastor, and yes, he will tell his ‘tales of fear’ to help others. He and his wife are about to have their first child so Josh is waiting to see if that new child would have the fears he had.

I don’t think there is anyone who doesn’t have fear, but if you’re like Josh was, there’s something that stops you in your tracks and what happens is this problem that doctors call “Some people are paralyzed with fear.” This can be from a youngster to us oldies as well.

In 1 John 4:17-18 [MSG] we find the ‘antidote’ for our fears: “God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.”

Scripture couldn’t be clearer, right? The perfect love of Jesus Christ, who loves you so much that he died for you, can truly drive out any fear in your life. Today, take a quota of the fears you are wrestling with now. Then read this Scripture again and memorize it because this is the only ‘antidote’ that will help you. And if you have truly entered a love relationship with Jesus, then you have the power in you to overcome your greatest fears!

So, dear readers, don’t let fear hinder your life. Because you have a relationship with Jesus you also have the power to overcome your fears. And ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of the depth of Jesus’ love for you. That’s how we all can live in victory over our fears. That’s where we are empowered and have the trust in Jesus that lives in us so we can be bold and live boldly, live in grace and ending love as a precious child of God. AMEN.