No Fear

Fear has become a mainstay of political propaganda. According to a wide array of websites, the election of the candidate they oppose would lead to consequences so severe and catastrophic that the very fabric of society and life itself might hang in the balance. The hyperbole used by the candidates and political parties themselves has made fear-mongering an art form—a grotesque, misshapen, perverted form of art. As the chasm between world-views deepens, the clashing rhetoric of these world-views has created an all-too-real fear among the people who listen. In a way, this makes sense. Those who came of age during the threat of nuclear war between the Soviet Union and the United States rarely fell into a constant state of fear; it was instead a kind of steady tension. However, the rise of terrorism as a constant threat in the new millennium has raised a very different prospect. People are uneasy in general because so much of the world they knew appears under threat. They feel threatened by the influx of immigrants from places known to harbor terrorists. They feel threatened by the upheaval of social mores foisted upon them by elitist judges ruling from afar with a disdain for both morality and history but with great confidence in the power of a black robe. They feel threatened by the economic changes created by an unbalanced playing field in the workplace and the monetary policies of nations. They feel threatened by the skyrocketing cost of healthcare along with its retreating coverage. People carry all of these fears with them constantly in addition to the regular challenges of daily life.

Fear has become natural to us. But that is all the more reason to turn to the comforting words of the psalms and to gain perspective, for in them we are reminded that “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble” (Psa. 46:1), and that this alone is the reason not to fear—no matter what (Psa. 46:2-3). God does not promise to remove all trouble. He does not promise to relieve all our pain. He does not promise there will be no trials. He promises something more important than these things. He promises He will be with us (Psa. 46:7). All that man does poses no threat to Him (Psa. 46:8-9), and that is why, when we have Him with us, we need not fear.

Regardless of who is in power in this country or any other, the LORD is God, and that is what really matters. When a terrorist strikes, the LORD is still in heaven. When the Supreme Court issues a ruling, God has still spoken. When tragedy strikes, God is still love. Therefore, rather than allowing the challenges and heartaches of life to let fear enter your heart, fill it with faith instead. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psa. 46:10). “The LORD of hosts is with us” (Psa. 46:11a), but we must first determine to be with Him.