What’s Your Greatest Fear?

Let me share with you some personal fears of mine, rational or otherwise. I have a fear of wasps. After doing a little yard work, it seems that Northwest Arkansas (or at least Bethel’s property) is infested with the big red angry ones. My Dad once told me “If you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you.” Yeah right, Dad…

I’m also afraid of embarrassing myself in a softball game. Though I’ve proven to be mediocre at best, at least I did not do any belly-flops-while-rounding-the-bases this past Tuesday night. Another fear for me is oversleeping and missing something important at church… like church! If you haven’t heard already, I arrived at our Tuesday morning Men’s Bible study 25 minutes late after a sunrise panic attack when my alarm clock did not go off. We all have to face most of our fears sometimes. Now let me share a wonderful word with you…

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” -1 John 4:18

In context, John is describing the wonderful effect of God’s love upon us as we face the inevitability of standing before God someday. His point is that God’s love frees us from the fear of God’s judgment. God’s powerful love throws, with intense violence, our fear to the side and allows us to live in boldness.

When you are afraid, whether it be of wasps or witnessing, rest in the love of God for you. If you’ve received Jesus Christ as Savior, God’s wrath toward your sin was abated when Jesus died on the cross. You are forgiven! The truth of His love sets us free.

If you’ve never been saved, then you need to fear God, to fear death, and to view eternity with trepidation. Thankfully, God offers freedom from fear to all who will place their full trust in Jesus alone as Savior. You need only to turn to Jesus and ask Him to save you once and for all to have your ultimate fear eternally laid to rest.