The Fear Factor                                                                                                  From the Pastor

The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?... Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

Psalm 27:1, 3

Fear may seem like a strange topic for a newsletter article.  Autumn has arrived; the leaves are turning colors, so why not write about the beauty in God’s creation, the bounty of the harvest, or how the changing landscape around us can remind us of the changing seasons of our lives?  The simple reason is that my muse has unpredictably chosen another direction; my head and heart are wrestling with “fear” this evening as I sit at my computer.  Oh, it’s not because of any one particular thing—only that I have recently noticed how destructive my fears can be. I have noticed how I can allow fear to rule my life and influence my decisions, if I am not vigilant. 

Maybe you have experienced the same.  Many times we lose our focus because our minds are gripped with some fear that plagues us, an anxiety that gnaws away at our peace of mind.  So, even if Creation herself presents us with a picture-perfect postcard, we do not notice.  In fact, we are unable to notice.  For when our hearts are captured by fear, they can not be captivated by anything else.  We are unable to celebrate the beauty and blessings around us—or in us—because we, literally, can not see beyond our fears.   

Much anxiety is about how we will respond and deal with the unknown. We paint overwhelming pictures in our heads and sell our souls on potentially devastating outcomes.  A woman receives a diagnosis and wonders what her illness will mean for her life.  She is not afraid of being ill itself; rather, she worries about not being able to care for her family or herself.  A friend loses his job and worries how he will deal with the normal stream of bills, which, in his mind, become suddenly insurmountable in the face of loss.  A child anxiously wonders what will happen when the teacher calls on her and she doesn’t know the answer; she fears the possibility of being made fun of by her classmates, (who may not know the answer either!)  An elder might not fear death itself, but the loss of mobility or becoming a burden to one’s family.

When we are fearful, we do not simply visit the land of the hypothetical, we take up residence there. And that’s the problem.  Our “what-if’s” and our worries collect and multiply in the corners of our minds like so many congregating dust bunnies under the bed.  If you are like me, you can begin to react or make decisions that are more a response to your fears and to an unknown future, than to the present moment.  Fear can cause us to jump to conclusions, write our own obituary (or that of others), prejudge and prevaricate, speak too soon, or become overly cautious.  In Genesis, Adam and Eve are naked, and fearing God, they hide among the trees.  We are no different.  We fear our liabilities and vulnerabilities. It’s not surprising that we often hide them from each other, God, and ourselves.

            Yet, God does not want us to live a life full of fear.  Over and over again in the scripture, we are told, “do not be afraid.”  Perhaps the reason why God’s Word speaks to us so frequently about fear is that God knows that we tend to close our hearts, minds, and souls when we are afraid.  We hold on too tightly and circle the wagons.  We can over-react, or become violent when we are threatened.  We can lose all sense of perspective, patience, or creative possibility. .

We are created for freedom, not fear.  Fear unchecked can rob us of life and spirit.  Fear can prevent us from seeing the world and our lives as God sees them—a tapestry of color and texture, even when threads are worn, loose and the pattern unclear. 

What if we were to remove the fear factor?  What might we see?   What if we could see our fear as a choice that we can choose not to make?  What if we were to choose trust over fear, the way we might choose for ourselves a comfortable shirt or favorite past-time?  Trust may then become a choice and a habit, even when our hearts and heads are unsteady.  Memory can assist us, when we remember of the tough times that we survived and lived to tell about.  We can find strength in knowing that the God of our yesterdays will be present in all of our tomorrows.  We can believe that we will see the goodness of our God in the land of the living—the blessings and beauty of today, the listening ear of a friend, and the resounding assurance that, indeed, God has placed within us the capacity to deal with whatever circumstances come our way.

In the midst of the unknown, let us wait for the Lord.  Let us be strong and let our hearts take courage.  For, we shall yet see the goodness of God and this moment is more than enough for now.

Friends, may your eyes be open to both the beauty of autumn and the beauty contained within the seasons in your own life.

In Christ,