Fear is a feeling that is induced by a perceived danger or threat. Even though it is a feeling or emotion in our mind, it triggers strong physical reactions. It is quite normal to have fears and it is something we all have experienced. Sometimes, fear may be an emotion that is necessary to keep us safe by keeping us from taking an inordinate amount of risk.
But some fears may be completely irrational and can completely hinder us from doing anything. If we dwell on such fears, it will take control over our minds and in turn affect our whole life. We probably remember that, as children, we were often afraid of small things and our immediate response would be to run to our parents, in whose arms we would feel completely safe and shielded. This is the sort of picture that the Bible is painting when it says, “Perfect love drives out all fear.” At times, when we find ourselves filled with fear or anxiety, we all need someone we can lean on, someone who can help us overcome. God offers us such a perfect love and leaning on Him through faith is what can help us overcome our biggest fears.
Nelson Mandela once said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” So, let’s not cower in the face of fear, but lean on the perfect love of God and learn to conquer it.
Pearls – 8 April 2021