“Cast your anxieties on him because He cares for you.” (1 Pt 5:7) I wanted to examine this awesome and wonderful chapter from Peter in discussing fear. It has been said fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. Evidence is what we use to determine facts. If I can look up and see the sky is what my eyes perceive to be blue because I have prior experience of what blue looks like, I believe it is a color and in contrast with white clouds, I am using pieces of information or evidence to validate the fact the sky is blue. We can do the same thing in our current world, using evidence that things are going to hell in a hand basket to believe such a circumstance is indeed fact and that we have a right to be fearful. While the latter is true, we have that right, I would argue we have the right to be carefree and faithful as well. For the opposite of fear is faith.
In looking around, you don’t need a high school diploma to figure out there is a laundry list of complicated, multi-faceted and intertwined issues and events that impact our life on macro and micro levels. For instance, our current state of education and changing societal norms and expectations, societal and racial disparities, war in foreign countries and threats of escalations, an economy that is moving forward despite disagreement with fundamentals, climates changes, housing shortages and civil unrest. The list appears endless and we have this lingering fear of when the other shoe will drop and we’ll have to answer to things that have been ignored, sidelined, or denied. In other words, we have a right to be fearful. We fear the unknown. We fear consequences. We fear not having control. What can be done?
In therapeutic circles, it is accepted and preached that as individuals, we only have control over our own thoughts, words, feelings and actions. While that can be argued depending on your philosophy, I would agree that this is true on a fundamental level. Initially, you may think, “Well if I only have control over those few thing, then how is all that other stuff going to get taken care of?!” The answer is simple; God. If faith is of God and in fear being the opposite of faith, fear cannot be of God. So where does it come from? Also simple; Satan. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering.” (1 Pt 5:8-9) We can have confidence in two things: God and others. We know God will take care of us, because we know God loves us and therefore wants the best for us. He can’t hurt us because that is not love. We also have others around us that are going through the same thing. Where two are more are gathered, God is there. If we are together in God’s presence, then we have no reason to fear. We have companionship in the struggles and can endure more suffering.
We do know that Jesus told us there would be trials, difficulties, and suffering. He also told us that by grace, we would be saved. Not absolved from suffering, but saved from eternal suffering. Which is why He died for us. In returning to Peter, “And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a little while, will Himself retore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Pt 5:10) We do not know how long we will suffer. We do not know how long all these worldly “plagues” will persist and torment us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. So we do not know how long ” a little while” is; God’s timing is not our timing. He does promise us that we will be restored. We may be crumbling from the above and feel we cannot continue. This is where we need the faith. Faith in God’s plan and his promise to make us firm and steadfast. We can handle future challenges because in going through these current trials and tribulations, we are being hardened in faith and peace of mind.
If we know the enemy is prowling around, looking to overpower us, but we have God as our fortress, then who can come against us? What can stop us? That is the beginning of peace. Casting fear aside gives us peace.
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