Daily Delight
Faith over fear; when I say it out loud, it sounds like a catchy phrase for a t-shirt more than something I live out. I want to believe that I have faith greater than fear, but in a world of desperation, depression, and anxiety, I find myself using more energy to worry than I do to pray or praise. "Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered for ever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear" (Psalm 112:6-8, ESV). The Psalmist writes, "their hearts are secure..." I find myself asking, where does my heart's security lie? In trying to control my every situation? In my perfect five-year plan? My finances? In the midst of my fear, in my flailing and grasping for something to solid hold on to, I can sense that there has to be another option; an option that isn't dependent on my strength and abilities, which is feeble and few, but something that comes from what is greater than myself.
Fear chases around my heart relentlessly, leaving me exhausted and hidden in the corner of my soul. Fear distracts me and taunts me with my past, telling me that I'll never truly be safe. But God says something different. He says, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18, ESV). Casts out fear. Takes it away. Destroys it, and then rewrites my heart with His love. Nothing else can truly destroy fear. In this love, I find the security to crawl out from my safe hiding place into His arms of unrelenting security.
And suddenly, my heart isn't flailing or gasping for air– done drowning in its "what ifs." According to this word, a steadfast heart in the Lord makes us fearless. When our heart rests in His love, fear is cast out, no longer able to control how we live our lives. Instead, in complete security, we are able to be free and live loved...
