What is the Opposite of Fear and Why Does It Matter?
Good Morning Friends,
There are all sorts of reasons to be afraid in this world. But the Bible tells us, Christ commands us, to not be afraid. He tells us this because fear can become perhaps the greatest destructive force on the planet. Fear of the world that is for it opposes our faith. It is a trap that holds us captive until it is too late. Fear more often than not is a lie. Acting on this command is not so easy. We get confused. We know what being afraid is like but feel lost when trying to control it. We marvel at the reality that David faced Goliath with no fear but fled from his son Absalom in fear for his life. Maybe it had to do something with how wrath is personalize in one and generalized in the other. Maybe we need a little more fear of the Lord, but that too confuses us unless we have the love revealed in Christ. The problem is that though we may understand fight and flight we do not always know our way out of fear even though we are acting in response to it. Wisdom alludes us. So this morning’s question addresses the problem. What is the Opposite of Fear and Why Does It Matter?
Scripture: And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Corinthians 13:13 (NRSV)
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27 (NIV)
Message: There was a time when I thought that the opposite of fear was courage. But that is not case. The opposite of fear is not love either although perfect love castes out fear. And the opposite of fear is not faith. Although both prompt actions of fight and flight with one being positive and the other negative. I think it helps to understand that fear describes a state of being, not an action. Courage describes an action. So too faith describes a state of being, but it is closely tied to an action so it really cannot be the opposite of fear. But what if you could change that state of entirely? What if you could move beyond fear? What if you didn’t have to do anything courageous because you just were no longer afraid? That would be the true opposite of fear. And that my friend is peace. Peace is the state where you no longer have to act courageously because there’s no need. It’s the calm, the rest, the inner tranquility where you don’t just kill the resistance, you realize it doesn’t even exist. And all this time I was shooting for courage. No wonder I was frustrated. Courage is only the path, not the destination. The opposite of fear is peace. The state is peace and its purpose is what Christ brings so that we might love.
Pray we believe in order to see. Pray we realize that the greater our fear the weaker our love. Pray we are courageous in our faith in a way that brings us peace. Pray we identify the fears that hinder our walk with God.
Pray we are not afraid of failure or rejection or loneliness or poverty or pain or sickness or shame or even death. Pray we commit our soul to obedience. Pray we not take a position of self-will and stubbornness against God. Pray our will not control our feelings and intellect in a way that is a prejudice against God. Pray that in our pride we not indulge erroneous views of God. Pray we not delay to practice daily our confidence in God. Pray we experience the peace of Christ so that we might truly love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 