Fear or Trust
Fear and trust, these responses have much more in common than we might initially think. See, how we view the future matters. What we’re expecting to come shapes the way we hold ourselves in the present.
God’s Word is filled with the charge to hope. We are told to be hopeful that God has good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). There is a hope to be found when we place our trust in the Lord (Romans 15:13). And when we wait for the Lord to move there is a renewing of our strength (Isaiah 40:31).
In order for one to be fearful or trusting, one needs to be looking ahead as to what’s to come. There’s a chair in my backyard with a small rip in it. Every time I go out back to sit, I wrestle with what’s to come. I want to trust that the chair will hold me, but I am slightly fearful that it will rip and I’ll fall through to the ground.
As long as we have breath in our lungs, we have the choice of how we’re going to posture ourselves in expecting what’s next. There’s a verse in Psalm 56 that stook out to me, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3).
The Psalmist is acknowledging a situation that is bringing about fear. He isn’t pretending it isn’t there or wishing it away. No, but he’s replacing the fear with something else. He’s choosing to put his faith and trust in the Lord over or in light of the fearful situation.
There are scary things out there in the world and there are a billion different ways that things can end up. Without an understanding of who God is, there is a very real reason to be fearful of what the future “randomness” might produce. But, there is a God who implores us to bring our worries and concerns to Him because He cares about us (1 Peter 5:7), we have an opportunity to replace the fear we experience about the future by trusting in God for our future.
This does not mean that by believing in God our lives will be free of struggle. No, the Bible is very clear that life in this sinful, broken world is going to be challenging. But in the same way a thick blanket keeps us warm during a cold night, God keeps us close and comforted during the hard times.
Here’s where I’d like to encourage you, friend, whether it’s fear or trust in the Lord, we’re placing our faith in something. You can put your belief in fear and it will stifle your growth and produce anxieties and worries accordingly. Or, you can put your belief in choosing to trust the Lord and you will find true life and abundant freedom.
This is not an easy thing due to the requirement that we let go of control and give the reigns over to the Lord. There’s good news here, He promises to never leave or forsake those who believe in Him. We are all putting our faith in something. Let’s practice taking our faith away from fear and giving it over to a trustworthy God.
