In the summer of 1989, I said, very positively, “I’m not afraid; I’m trusting God.” I had taught many times on not being afraid, had counseled countless people about trusting God and not being afraid. And now it was my turn to face fear.

It’s actually very easy to say, “I’m not afraid,” isn’t it?  It’s easy to just say the words and act “positive.” But just saying, “I’m not afraid,” doesn’t mean you’re not allowing fear to direct your life.

Sure, it’s easy peasy to trust God when everything’s going well. But when a storm in life comes along, it can bring doubts, uncertainty, worry, and fear. This wasn’t the first time or the last time I had to decide if I was either going to allow fear to direct my life, or trust God for His help.

Driving south down I-35 leaving Minnesota after being terminated from a job I loved after eight years, I had plenty of time to think.  It would be a three day trip to Oceanside California with my wife, two small children, a U-haul truck and a Chevy Citation.

I don’t believe the message from the Bible is, don’t get afraid, but rather, don’t stay afraid; believe the promises of God instead.  Whether it’s worry, doubt, anxiety, panic, stress, all of that interferes with accepting God’s promises. The Bible says many times, in many places, in many different ways, to not be afraid. That tells us two very important things.

One, since God doesn’t tell us to do something we can’t do, it must be possible to replace our fear and live without it. Secondly, since God does not want us to live with fear, it must be something that interrupts and prevents us from living a happy and blessed life.

I know there is some alternative thinking about fear, like, “learn to live with your fears,” or “embrace your fears.” But the Scriptures say, “I sought the Lord and He delivered me from all my fears.”  Fear is not beneficial for your life, and it certainly wasn’t beneficial for me back in ‘89 on my way to California.

I had a limited amount of cash and no real job waiting for me, just the promise from a friend that there would be some work.  My friend graciously put my family up for three days while we found a place to rent, and after we got settled in, I had about 800 dollars left. He was right; there was “some” work, but not nearly enough to support my family

Some Misconceptions About Fear

• A Magic Switch?

There’s no magic switch you can just flip and suddenly, you’re no longer afraid.  Almost every day for a year I had to choose to either worry, doubt, panic, stress, be afraid, or trust God. It’s a mental process and it’s different for each person and each situation.

In the Bible, sometime after already making promises to Abraham, God told him, “Fear not.”  It took Abraham some time to not be afraid that he and Sarah would not have a child, an heir. He did indeed get to the point of believing God.

I may not like, or be able to control a situation, but my thoughts about the situation are always in my control. Shifting from fear to believing and trusting God is a process.  I can choose to feed and fuel the fear, or put my focus on God’s promises. During that first year in California, I chose the latter, and God was very kind and gracious.

• Any Negative Situation In Your Life Is Always Caused By Your Fear?

Some well meaning but often zealous Christians, who seem to like to have everything in life boxed into a perfect formula, often say you are in a mess because you have fear.  Then they quote a verse from the book of Job and that settles everything.

You certainly can bring more negative situations into your life by consistently worrying, doubting, stressing and being afraid; constant mental focus always brings results, positive or negative. But to say anything and everything negative or unpleasant in your life is because of your personal fear is ridiculous, unloving, and it breeds self condemnation.

• Not Believing God’s Promises Is Always Because Of Fear?

I know the Bible teaches that staying afraid is not believing God. Jesus said, “Fear not, only believe!”  Believing God brings His promises to pass.

There are times when we know what God promised, and we’re not afraid, but there may be an issue of doubt in our thinking.  Doubts will always interfere with completely accepting what God has promised. We must find and deal with those doubts to get to the point of having no doubts.

• Only Weak People Have Fear?

Everyone faces difficulties, challenges, obstacles and negative situations. Processing those kinds of circumstances stirs emotions: fears, anxiety, uncertainty. It’s part of everyone’s life. The question is, when you recognize fear, what are you going to do about it?

When we face those unpleasant situations, we can choose which thoughts to think. The Scriptures in many places encourage us to get rid of the fear, replace it. The Bible says that fear is a snare, a trap – it keeps us bound so we cannot move forward.

Since everyone has the choice to feed and keep their fear, or to replace their fear, maybe that’s why there are so many verses in the Bible about fear. It says “Fear not” 63 times.

Since I’m counting, the word “fear” is found in 385 verses. There is a lot in the Bible about fear.  The point is, God does not want you and me to be afraid, to worry, to doubt, to stress, to have anxiety. It’s very detrimental to our lives.

In the Book of Philippians it says to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.  That is a choice.  Sometimes for me, there are days I need to choose to do that over and over and over again.

Here are two of my favorite verses about fear:

Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

For I the LORD your God will hold your right hand, saying unto you, Fear not; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:10, 13

Do you have a favorite verse about fear?