Do Not Be Afraid

The time is 6am, Thursday, February 24th many are still sleeping while others are just waking up and preparing for their day by making breakfast, hugging their children, getting ready for school or brewing a cup of coffee to prepare for a long day of work ahead.

Unfortunately for some their morning was abruptly shaken and met with chaos.

At the time of me writing this war has just been declared on Kyiv, Ukraine, my home country, my place of birth and a country I once called home, a country that for years has felt hardship and pressure but at the present time a country that has just been forced into war. My heart is broken and burdened for the countless families who are caught in the middle of this devastating situation, who are currently fighting for their lives and praying for the chance to see a new day. I am thankful, however, that many of my family members aren’t alone and aren’t afraid because they’re hope isn’t based on the outcome of this war or political unrest but their hope is in Christ and it is that hope that comforts me with the reminder that God is in control. 

While I have only read the Bible all the way through a handful of times I cannot confirm if the following statement is true but I’m thankfully we live in an era where the internet is full of valuable information like the fact that the phrase “Fear Not” or variations of that phrase are mentioned 365 times in the Bible, that’s one “Fear Not” for every day of the year. If there’s one thing I know about the Bible and reading God’s word it’s that if there’s a point God wants to get across that He will share that point as many times as it take for us to comprehend it. God cares so much about His children that He reminds us daily not to be afraid but to trust in Him, not to fear the unknown or worry about tomorrow because no matter the situation or the struggles or hardships we are currently facing God is in control.

Countless times throughout the Bible God reminds His people, He reminds His children that we are not to be afraid but we are to trust in Him, we are to have faith that no matter what happens or what is going on in the world that He is in control.

Deuteronomy 31:8 reminds us to fear not because the Lord is with us wherever we go “the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

We are again reminded in 2 Timothy 1:7 to have a sound mind and not a spirit of fear “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

In Psalms 56:3 we are reminded to trust in God in times of fear “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.”

And again in Joshua 1:9 God commands His people to have courage because God is with us wherever we go “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

More often than not this is easier said than done. I’m not saying I’ve had an easy life but I also have been blessed by not being in the middle of situations such as my family in Ukraine is currently facing today. It’s easy for me to say do not afraid but I can’t imagine being in their shoes. How would I respond if I was in their situation? How would you respond? Showing fear is a natural impulse because it’s a part of our sin nature. When we worry or become fearful we’re distrusting God, we’re essentially telling God that we don’t trust Him or have faith in His promises or provisions. Peter is the perfect example of this in the Bible. In Matthew 14 the disciples find themselves being caught out on the sea in the midst of a storm when out of nowhere Jesus walks out to them and calls out to Peter and tells him to come to Him, at which point Peter reluctantly follows. All was going just fine until Peter took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the storm rather than the Savior, at that moment Peter chose fear over faith and because of that lack of faith he found himself sinking but thankfully even in our moments of doubt Jesus is there with His hands stretched ready to help carry us into safety. I know it’s easy to show fear in the midst of a trial or storm but rather than focusing on the storm focus on God, focus on the one who saves and offers hope, focus on the one who says come to Me; when we keep our eyes on God and focus on Him then our fear begins to crumble and our faith grows stronger.

While I want to say at this point, based on where we are in history that I’m praying for peace and for resolution to the conflict that is presently occurring in Ukraine and many other parts across the globe the truth is more than I’m praying for peace I’m praying for hope. Hope that through all the death and destruction, through all the trials and hardships that the world will turn to God and find Hope and salvation in Him because the truth is, this devastation and destruction is only the beginning. We are reminded in Mathew 24 that during the end times we will hear of wars and rumors of wars but God continues to remind us not to be troubled “ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Unfortunately pain and suffering are inevitable, destruction is upon us but Hope is alive and Christ is coming back soon and what the world needs now more than peace is hope because as Matthew 24 goes on to say “he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” When we continue on, when we have faith and put our Hope in Christ then and only then we will be saved.

If you find yourself struggling or being fearful, lost with no sign of hope look no further, Jesus is there with His arms stretched out reaching for you. Don’t focus on the storm or the destruction and chaos around you, don’t fear for tomorrow or the unknowns that flood your life but focus on God and trust in Him. If you are still here and reading this and you don’t know God personally, now is the perfect time; no matter your past or present God loves you and forgives you and He doesn’t want you to spend another moment fearing, He wants to show you a life that is full of hope not just here on a earth but a hope that will last through all eternity!