FEAR OR FAITH?

 

Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.  (Isaiah 41:10)

Fear is the antithesis to faith.  One excludes the other.  If we filter our circumstances through the lens of our inadequacy, then fear arises.  If we view our circumstances through the perspective of God’s ability, then faith emerges.  Fear and faith are not primarily feelings we have, but choices we make—or we would not be commanded to exclude fear and exercise faith. 

To face the problems of life in reliance on God means infinite resources are available—and the best thing is that God does not give these apart from Himself, but this is what He is in Himself—the God who is ever-present with us.  So, He says, “Fear not, for I am with you.”  I am never alone, but the great I AM is with me!

He may not keep me from the waters, but as He did with Noah, He will put me in the ark, and shut me inside, safe and dry.  God may send me to the brink of the flooding river of Jordan, but He will open it up and take me through to the other side as He did with Joshua and the Jews.  If He allows me to go into the fire—as He did with the three Hebrew lads—He will go into the flames with me, and rather than harm me, it will be the opportunity for a miraculous testimony of His faithfulness that brings Him glory!  Here is the promise:

But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine. 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,

Nor shall the flame scorch you.  (Isaiah 43:1-2)

Life will have its difficulties—floods and fires—and we cannot deny reality.  We can choose not to respond with dismay.  “Be not dismayed, for I am your God.”  Instead of throwing up our hands in despair, we may raise our hands in prayer—childlike in reaching up to our Heavenly Father.  If in His infinite wisdom and absolute love, He chooses to allow the burden, then He will impart strength to bear it—“I will strengthen you”; should He permit obstacles, He will afford help to overcome them—“Yes, I will help you.”  We may even wobble, but He will support us.  “I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  Trust Him, for He is trustworthy!