Do not fear.

How easy is it to read the above statement? I guess for anyone older than about 5, it would be pretty easy.

Think again though, how easy is it to read this statement and take it on board? Here's the preachy bit.

The Bible says 'Do not fear' or words to that effect around 366 times (God didn't forget about leap years either..) so that's more than enough for every day of the year!

We all experience fear in some sense every day of our lives. These can range from fear of spiders to darkness to flying to rejection, illness and death. In today's online 'diagnose me' society, a generation of hypochondriacs have given names to these phobias, likening them to medical conditions, some of which, people may not realise they even have until they read about it..

Have a fear of laughter? Well, don't worry, you're not alone, it's been Christened Geliophobia, and are you scared of garden gnomes? You're not alone, as this has been imaginatively named Gnomophobia. Seems funny, doesn't it? (I laughed, sorry all those that are Geliophobic out there, no need to cause any offense- B x) The thing is, a lot of the time, fears are the blighters that overcome us.
1 John 4:18 tells us that 'Perfect Love casts out fear' In the name of love, all fear is gone. Using this logic, it could be argued that where there is fear, there is no love. Ouch.
If God is love- God being perfect, so therefore, so is His love, then in Him there is no fear. It's OK to be fearful. God knew, and KNOWS that we're going to face fears, hence his sprinkling of encouragement against the spirit of fear all the way through the Bible. What's not OK is when we acknowledge our fears and refuse the rebuke them. Many people have a fear of visiting doctors, not because of the actual physician himself, but more about his knowledge, when a patient opens their mouth and begins to explain symptoms, after a physical examination has taken place, the patient then knows what is wrong with them. A fear of doctors is more to do with a fear of diagnosis. A fear that the oblivious mind is enlightened as to what is wrong. In rebuking the fears, what lies underneath the fear? More fear? Probably. Mostly suppressed memories and emotions whose fear has become the scar.
In order to remove the thorn that has been imbedded into your foot and causes you aggravation, a further incision has to be made. Yes, for a while, it will cause more pain and discomfort, but once the thorn has been removed, and the wound has healed, the hurt from the thorn is gone, it ceases to exist. The road is never easy, you first have to acknowledge that the thorn in your foot shouldn't really be there in order for it to be removed. If ignored, the thorn gets deeper and deeper into your skin. I'm a bit squeamish, so I'll stop there (Plus, I'm no medical expert, i'm just speaking through experience.) The fear, like the thorn starts to be the cause of so much discomfort and can prevent so much. Proverbs 27:1 says 'Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day might bring' We fear the future, because we have so little idea about what is around the corner, we do not know exactly how an order of events may pan out, or exactly what we will be doing in a years time. Do not fear, do not worry.

I'll end with my favorite proverb 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all of your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight' Pr 3:5-6. In everything, acknowledge God, in all your fears, surrender them to God. Trust in God. And most importantly, 'Do not fear'

Beth x