The Story of Fear & Faith

The script notes below outline a particular scene that many of us have faced before. As the story develops more is revealed about how fear challenges our faith, and how we must learn to use fear as a way to get closer to God.

Imagine this scene…

Back Story

• Character believes in God
• Concept of faith is firmly in place in their mind
• Concept of trust and surrender is understood, but not realized
• Character genuinely wants to be closer to God and is continuing to look for ways to do that

Setting

• Scene is set in open water with tossing waves which illustrates life’s constant struggles

Scene
• Opens with character struggling to keep head above water on the verge of drowning, but there is still fight left as evidenced by the feverish thrashing for survival.
• Character appears not to know how to swim…

Plot lines

• Opportunity to be faithful
• Strength of faith
• Fear’s role in faith
• Now – present moment training
• Courage

Questions

• What could be going through the mind of the person caught in this struggle for survival?

The story begins…

How many times in your life have you been the one in this scene, the one that is struggling to keep their head above the water either literally or more often than not, figuratively? For me it is almost every single day, and more recently almost every single moment. However, what I am realizing is that this is part of the process, this is part of the plan that I must endure and follow to get closer to God.

You might know easier ways to get closer to God, and I believe you, I just have not figured out for myself yet how to do that – to reach the depths of God that I have reached without having gone through the struggles that have defined me and my life. But hey, that’s how it has been working for me, I’m up for suggestions though, as it seems smarter to bypass the struggle if possible, so comment and give me some ideas, please?!?!

Anyway, like the character in the script above, I often find myself overwhelmed with life’s challenges, even though my faith is in tact, life’s constant face slaps, groin kicks, etc. keep challenging my decision to be faithful. Which begs the questions that actor Morgan Freeman stated in the movie Evan Almighty when playing the character of God. Take a look….

I don’t know how you interpreted this scene, but for me it is the crux of this post, struggle is opportunity, and how we interpret struggle or the challenges that we face determines how we will respond or not respond – swim or sink. To me, faith has much to do with how I interpret and respond to my challenges, and my own fears, doubts and worries seem to constantly lead me to question my faith or more specifically, to questions God’s promises. Just like Peter in Matthew 14:22-33 (NLT).

…for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here! ” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”…

So I ask you, can there be faith without fear?

Above are two examples of situations that fear through worry, in the case of the woman speaking to God, or being afraid in the case of Peter, separate us from God, or at the very least distract us from being faithful, which illustrates how fear and faith seem to be intertwined. But God also states through John in 1 John 4:18 NLT.

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

So then, the key is to search for ways to experience his “perfect love”. Because the implication of this passage is that if we are in his perfect love fear will not be in our mind. I interpret this as a promise, a truth, such that fear can be conquered.

In another movie, After Earth, Will Smith delivers a line that says “…danger is real, fear is a choice”, which helps me to understand that I can choose God’s love and not be afraid – it is a choice that can be made. It is a promise, and all we have to do is decide to choose God’s love.

In the end, there may be simpler more direct ways to forgo the struggles that I constantly seem to go through in strengthening my faith, but I am still learning that struggle and challenge are part of the process, and I don’t need to be afraid of them, but rather, use them to remind me to lean on God’s promises and choose to love him wholeheartedly right now, in the moment that the fear sets in or the struggle begins. Those struggles force me to stay right there in that present moment, right there with God. All I have to do is choose God and I will not be afraid.

So, I leave you with this from Joshua 1:9 NLT:

“This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”