Do Not Fear?

The most common command in the Bible is something along the lines of “do not fear.” In time such as these, when there appears to be so much to be afraid of, the command to not be afraid can seem dismissive of the reality we live in. Doesn’t God understand why I’m afraid? It can also feel simply impossible. How can I be fearless when everyone else around me is afraid? How do I ignore all the voices from the media that enhance my fear? How? How? How? There are so many more questions. So, what are we meant to do with all these verses that tell us not to be afraid?

As someone who lives with an anxiety disorder, I know what it feels like to be anxious. And, whether you fall into that category or not, what you may be feeling right now may be different to the anxiety you have experienced previously. I hope, no matter where you are or how you feel, that you know that you are not alone. It’s a refrain I repeat over and over again because anxiety has a habit of making us feel alone, when the reality is that we aren’t. Not only are there people across the globe living with anxiety right now, God has not forsaken us. God is here with us. God cares.

My hope is that we will each to come to recognize that the command to not be afraid need not distance us from reality. We need not act as if nothing anxiety-producing is happening. We need not push our anxiety to one side and pretend it’s not there. But, we can stand in this moment and recognize that God is still faithful, no matter the circumstances.