Don’t Give Way to Fear

Sometimes unbelievers are known to say, “Isn’t it convenient that Christians come up with this God who says what they always wanted to hear.” I suppose they are thinking about all the promises that God will love us and provide for us. What they are surely forgetting is that the God who speaks to us in the Scriptures and through Jesus says a lot of things that we don’t really want to hear and quite a number of things that scare our pants off.

You see when the kingdom of God breaks into this world it brings with it God’s wisdom which is so in contrast with the world’s wisdom, and that often sets up some frightening conflicts. You have the whole world going in one direction, and you are a part of a little colony of heaven going in a different direction. That can be scary, but this is wise counsel: you are on God’s side, which is the right side, so don’t give in to fear.

But then sometimes God’s ways may even sound foolish to you. “Turn the other cheek.” “Go the second mile.” “If your enemy is hungry, feed him.” “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.” “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” “Love your enemies.” “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands.”

It is actually in the context of this last statement that Peter writes “and do not give way to fear” (1 Peter 3:4). It is hardly convenient to completely abandon ourselves to doing God’s will on earth as it is in heaven. It is not what our flesh always wanted to hear. Fear quite naturally arises in our hearts, but we must fix our minds on things above and say yes to faith and no to fear. We are on the right side. God will prove himself faithful.

Fill in your blank. God is saying: _______.  And I must not give way to fear.