Being fearless is a commendable trait in our society. It is regarded perhaps as bravery. What I’ve observed about being fearless is that it does not require the absence of fear. Interestingly enough one cannot truly qualify for being fearless unless there is something to actually fear. What would a person be fearless of if fear were not an option? Anyone can be fearless with nothing to fear. No, being fearless requires that we have fears to face.
There is so much vulnerability as a human being that we most usually have something to fear. Just living our lives can qualify us to be somewhat fearful and thereby fearless. Fearlessness is actually the ability to persevere in the face of fear. Anyone who has no fear is not in need of fearlessness.
I write this to you today to encourage you to realize that having fear is not your malady. It is common among men. The point is what you can do to deal with your fears. The answer of course resides in the Lord’s provision, but it goes beyond merely trusting God for the outcome of things and then relaxing because God’s in control. The truth of the matter is that relying on God can be a fearful thing as well. Here’s where we can start to gain ground though. Once we begin to trust God for the outcome, then we have to let God bring about His outcome. Usually this is as much about waiting and trusting as it is actual doing, although it does not require that nothing be done; only that nothing be done of yourself to attain your desires. Our desires frequently fall short of God’s provision.
Bravery is connected here because the brave are those who can entertain fear as a normal part of life and learn to accept life on those terms. Soldiers fight in battles. Few if any of them are without fear. One WWII Veteran once told me that everyone in the battle zones that he knew were resigned to the fact that they were not going home. They would perish on foreign soil, fighting for the freedom of the world. Anyone who did survive was living on bonus time and the personal victory was that they had survived.
War mentality is very streamline that way. It cuts to the chase scene, so to speak. Maybe there is some wisdom in cutting there for all of us. Today is the only day that you truly have. Today is the gift from God. What life is there in your today? Is it full of gratitude for the peace and stability that you have today, even in the face of the many frightening challenges that our world faces each day?
Fear is part of life. It is not a failure of man it is a part of him. What we do with our fear can create blessings or curses, however. To rule in fear teaches others to rule in fear and to be ruled by fear. To live in fear robs us of our here and now joy. What may come may come, or it may not. Fear does not keep tomorrow at bay, it only robs away today. Fear is not all bad. It also works to help us make good choices to stay safe. So then, fear can be observed and dealt with, but it should not be served.
For my money though, bravery does not cast out fear, love does. Bringing love into the midst of fear bears much fruit. Love is cool. Love is fearless.
Blessings!

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