Fear to Living Hope

What if………….

My cell phone rang. “Where are you? Have you seen the news?”……Words you do not want to hear from your husband when your 19 year old daughter is in the Middle East on a Mission Trip.  She had been within 100 yards of a car bomb.   Fear gripped my entire being. What if she is killed in the Middle East?

The house phone rings. “Mrs. Avant, we need you to come to the school immediately your son has been in an accident.” I could literally hear him screaming in pain through the phone.  Again, fear grips my heart as the doctor tell us “Your son has broken his leg in five places.  We need to take him to surgery immediately.”  Fear plagues my mind…….what if my son never plays football again…the game he loves so much!

My husband of 25 years is standing in front of me.  “I think the Lord is calling me to leave the pastorate and take a job with a mission agency.”  Hold on……..what……I have been a pastor’s wife since I was 20 years old...I know no other way of life.  What if I can’t adjust?  Fear, once again, grips me.

Fear has become a common emotion in our society today.  This generation of young people have experienced more to be fearful about than ever before.  In the last 12 years, the younger generation has seen school shootings, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, our own nation being attacked and several economic crises.  It all comes alive for them to see in living color on their TV, IPAD, or computer.

It is no wonder one in three Americans are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.  Antidepressants are the number one prescribed medication in America.  (Peace without a Pill by Thomas Lindberg) The average American child today has the same level of anxiety as a psychiatric patient in the 1950’s. (Anxiety Free by Robert Leahy)

And yet, God’s word says “Do not fear”, some bible scholars say at least 365 times…….enough for a daily dose!  A coincidence………..I think not!

At two of the most important events at history, the birth of Christ and at His resurrection, a woman was told “Do not fear.” (Luke 1:30 and Matthew 28:5)  My Savior knows as a woman I will struggle with fear.

Fear is the exact opposite of faith.  It is when I choose to dwell on circumstances or “what ifs” instead of the TRUTH!

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of sound mind.” (II Timothy 1:7)  Christ gave us His power.…the power that raised Him from the dead…….to overcome fear.

Christ gave us a sound mind…….a mind that chooses to dwell on truth and not play “what if” games.

Most of the time our fears are irrational and come from playing “what if” games…….you know, What if they fire my husband, what if we can’t pay our bills, what if my daughter is raped, what if my son is in a car accident, what if they don’t like me, what if………and it goes on and on.

When my mind begins to play what if games……..I quote II Timothy 1:7 and remind the enemy of my mind that I have a sound mind and choose to dwell on Truth and not on “what ifs”!

And finally, the Lord gives us a His love to overcome fear according to II Timothy 1:7. If I truly believe Christ loves me………I will choose not to live in a spirit of fear. “There is no fear in perfect love. But perfect love drives out fear………….The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” I John 4:18

Saying Jesus loves me and saying I am fearful is a disconnect!  It is a rejection of His love.

Do I truly believe Christ loves me enough to not allow anything to come into my life that He will not use for my good?  Do I truly believe Christ loves me enough to empower me to overcome any and every circumstance that comes into my life?  If I say Jesus loves me…….. I will choose not to fear or live my life in fear.

There are times when the emotion of fear begins to creep into my heart and the “what if” games begin.

At this point, I choose to believe He loves me and will live my life not in a spirit of fear, but in His power, in His love and with a sound mind!

No more “what if” games!!!! Have you ever played those “what if” games?  See you in the devotionals and in the  forums!

 Donna Avant is the wife of  Dr. John Avant, Senior Pastor of First Baptist West Monroe, Louisiana