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Do Not Be Afraid
Brian Mashburn
July 31, 2016
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Do Not Be Afraid
One of the most horrible and useful questions that has ever been asked of me is this: "What are you afraid of?" It is horrible because even the mentioning of my fears is the beginning of facing them. And it is useful, well, because the mentioning of my fears is the beginning of facing them.
The idea of "facing your fears" has, sadly, become so cliché that it is spoken of far more than it is done. It is the dramatic and victorious climax of almost all of our favorite movies and tales, but it is far too rarely practiced or experienced in our own lives.
For Christians, in particular... This. Should. Not. Be. Christians are not just to face them, but literally walk into them, for it is where the most abundant life is found. Healing, meaning, love, redemption, joy, peace, and life itself - even God Himself - are all found there.
Don't take my word for it. Jesus both teaches (Lk 12:4; 32) and models it (Jn 11:7-16; Lk 9:51). As a matter of fact, the most often repeated command in the whole of our Bibles is "do not be afraid."
For my part, I'm pretty sure I disobey this one all the time. As another matter of fact, my fears are affecting me constantly, whether I am aware of them or not. Even when I intentionally follow God through my fears into victory, it is not long before I stand opposed by another. I think this is why the Bible brings it up so much.
There are many, but there are two epic fears that I witness in every Christian at some point that I want Jesus in Luke 12 to confront in us today. The fear that you are not saved by God, and the fear of being sent by God.
Jesus reveals that Christians are afraid. And that they need not be.