In his
first inaugural speech in 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the newly elected
president of the US, addressed a nation that was still reeling from the Great
Depression. Hoping to ignite a more optimistic outlook regarding that economic
crisis, he declared, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!”
Fear
often shows up in our lives when we are at risk of losing something—our wealth,
health, reputation, position, safety, family, friends. It reveals our innate
desire to protect the things in life that are important to us, rather than
fully entrusting them to God’s care and control. When fear takes over, it
cripples us emotionally and saps us spiritually. We’re afraid to tell others
about Christ, to extend our lives and resources for the benefit of others, or
to venture into new territory. A fearful spirit is more vulnerable to the
enemy, who tempts us to compromise biblical convictions and to take matters
into our own hands.
The remedy for fear, of course, is trust in our Creator. Only when we trust the reality of God’s presence, power, protection, and provision for our lives can we share the joy of the psalmist, who said, “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Ps. 34:4).
