Faith Not Fear, But No Foolishness!
We are living in some very difficult times right now. Well. Actually. Life is always difficult. But this is a new difficult for most all of us. We are in the middle of a pandemic. People are so angry and divided right now. What is causing all this division? A couple of the hot button issues right now are masks and the return to school.
It seems most are firmly one side of the fence or the other when it comes to covering your face and having kids in the classroom, and there is little to no wiggle room. Mask or no mask? Onsite or virtual? Some of you are chomping at the bit to read more and can’t wait to hear my stance, but… I’m sorry. Those are not questions we are about to tackle.
The question we are about to try and answer is, “Does taking steps to protect yourself mean you are lacking faith and living in fear?” Now, I am not all knowing and all seeing, so I cannot give a definitive yes or no, but I can wholeheartedly say, not necessarily. Wow. I know. Profound. Don’t give up on this post yet. We’re just getting started.
When deciding if you are acting out of faith or fear, ask yourself a few questions.
1.) Did you go to the bible to see what God had to say on the matter?
2.) Did you ask God for direction and listen for His guidance?
3.) Did you do your research and seek wise counsel from other mature Christ followers?
4.) Have you taken the action that you were spurred on to, after doing all the above?
6.) Once you did your part, did you give this to God in prayer, so that you do not obsess over it?
If you answered yes to the above, you appear to be falling on the side of “Faith, Not Fear, but No Foolishness” side of things. Yeah! Go you! But if you were unable to answer yes to those questions, you may still have faith, because only God knows that for sure, but Houston, we may have a problem.
If worry and anxiousness paralyze you and dominate your day and decisions, you very well may be acting out of and living in fear. God does NOT want fear to be our compass. Actually, fear creates another storm to try and navigate through. God wants to be our compass, to guide us to a calm place at the center of the storm. We will still be in the storm, but we will be resting and trusting in Him while we are there.
Don’t live in fear. Got it. So what about this foolishness business? What did I mean by that? Well. Christians are often called out for lacking faith if they do things to protect themselves. Before you cheer and agree that someone who takes action is clearly a fear filled individual, consider the following.
- Would we cross the street with our eyes closed? No. God gave us eyes to see. We cross the road with them open, so we can watch for cars.
- Should we leave broken glass on the floor, because God will protect us from it? No. He gave us hands to hold a broom and a dustpan, and we should sweep it up.
- If we find a den of rattlesnakes in our backyard, should we stick our hand in there and pluck those suckers out one by one believing God will give us the ability to charm those snakes into not biting us? No. We should get professional help. God gifted people with the talent for dealing with those types of critters, and we should let them do their thing. See what I am getting at?
Jesus said we should not put our God to the test. Actually, there is one time He says to test him, and it is relation to tithing and the return He will give us if we do, but that’s a post for another day. Over and over in the bible we are reminded not to test God in other matters. So, given the fact that He has given us a brain, we need to use it. Have faith. Don’t live in fear. But don’t be foolish.
Finding Joy: When you realize you do not have to live in a constant state of fear, that is found joy. Concern is OK. Being cautious and careful and taking right steps after we’ve done our due diligence is OK. Let go of the desire to fault others for choosing to steer clear of danger as best they can, based on the information they have at the time. Even in hard times. Even in moments of great concern, you can have joy. And do not steal that from others.
Related Scripture:
Matthew 4:6 – 7 – If You are the Son of God,” he said, throw Yourself down. For it is written: He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone. Jesus replied, It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
Isaiah 41:10 – So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Romans 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
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