Do Not Be Afraid

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you." Genesis 26:24 NIV

Over and over again, we see examples of the Lord telling His people, "Don't be afraid." He said it Abraham (Gen 15:1), to Hagar (Gen 21:17), to Isaac (Gen 26:24), to Jacob (46:3) and to the Jews through Moses (Exodus 14:13 and 20:20). It obviously seems like we have a shortterm memory when it comes to the providence and blessings of God.

I see fear being a result of two different things in our lives. First, we allow the boundaries of our responsibility to swell inappropriately. We get wrapped up in what we're doing and how we're doing it, and then we begin to believe we're responsible for more than we really are. We've removed God from the throne and put ourselves in His place.

Another reason we get distracted by fear is a lack of focus on what God's plan is: why He put us in the place we're in right now and where He's going to take us. Ultimately, where God is taking us - the destination - is what we can fear most. How are we going to get there? What's it going to be like? It's the circumstantial uncertainty that makes us uncomfortable. As Mark Batterson writes in Wild Goose Chase, "circumstantial uncertainty is also known by another name: adventure!"

Just as God reminded Joshua, He reminds us to "keep it simple stupid." Be strong and courageous in the midst of our adventures with Him. How do we do that? Simple. Our only responsibility is to merely stay focused on God's Word and, then, walk in obedience to it. That's right! We don't have to have all the answers to every question. It's not up to us to fix all the problems. That's God's department. When we realize our resposibility in life is simply staying focused on our own choices and making those choices based on God's Holy Word, life becomes much less complicated and much less fearful.