Christians have an obvious relationship with fear — we overcome it. “Do not be afraid” is said like 365 times in the Bible, apparently — I haven’t counted. I’ve often heard people say that God reminds us to not be fearful so much that it’s a daily reminder.
Christians are supposed to have fear mastered, if at all they’ll feel like Christians. Actually, that sounds stupid. Why do we have so much written in the Bible about fear? It’s because we WILL be fearful... God knows that we will need continuous reminders to turn from fear to faith—and yes, surely there are seasons of life where we do overcome fear and ascend in faith.
The present responses to COVID-19 are interesting in how varied they are. One theme that has caused me some concern is from the part of the international community that decry fear in the appearance of fear.
They seem intolerant of people’s real fear in the face of these times. Surely the reality suggests that the days we live in are extraordinary — and yet we’re not supposed to be fearful?
Fear is the expected human reaction. It doesn’t mean we can’t overcome that fear through strategies like planning for now and the times ahead and reminding ourselves that God is in control, and that no matter what happens that simply doing our best is good enough.
Some Christians may think that a fear response is sin. A lack of trust. But just like grief is a response to loss that one can no longer deny, fear in these circumstances doesn’t so much generate panic as it does inspire motivation to do the planning we need to do — or, as the situation strikes it keeps us planning day by day, and by faith we do get through.
Some Christians are “pleading the blood of Jesus” over these times, our circumstances, their very lives. But I can tell you that from an epidemiological viewpoint over spiritualising things is worse than unhelpful. These times call for wisdom and action and not simply doing nothing in deference to “the power in the blood of Jesus”.
If now isn’t a time to put a moratorium on mass gatherings, I don’t know when is! NOW is the time — as should always be — for the church to lead in taking responsible, wise and inevitably costly action.
I think perhaps one of a Christian’s main temptations around fear is to be fearful of fear itself. In other words, we somehow think we’re not supposed to be fearful; that it’s somehow disobedient. If we’re not careful, we use “faith” as a crutch.
It isn’t being fearful to respect the current circumstances we’re in. Remember the best wisdom of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides — be prepared. It has stood the test of time.
It’s definitely a time to pray, especially for:
· leaders in every position
· the vulnerable who are struggling to survive
· the vulnerable that they have support they need
· the vulnerable wouldn’t be overwhelmed by fear
· families who are being disrupted
· the dynamics of frustration and conflict experienced
· the families who are facing or enduring loss.
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