Saturday 17 April 2021

I am afraid

 


The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." (John 6:16-21)

Fear is sometimes good for you. It stops you from taking unnecessary risks. From being reckless and unthoughtful in what you do. Fear is natural.

It is a human emotion like all the others. Fear can be real and warranted - we fear punishment and retribution for our crimes, we fear threats from aggressive people, we fear criminals, wild animals and so on.

Or fear can be imagined and unwarranted - we fear the unknown, new places we have to visit, new situations in our lives, new people we have to meet, or we fear change from the comfort we're used to, we fear what might happen in the future.

So fear, by itself, being natural, is not a sin. But how we react and deal with it can be. Too much unwarranted fear could be an insult to God in that we do not trust Him enough to look after us and care for us. Prayers are the answer.

Let us consider carefully what it is that causes our fear and if there is a genuine reason then we should seek help. Discuss the matter with a trusted relative or friend. If there is cause for concern then we should not suffer and worry alone. Others may be able to help us or get us to see our problem from their perspective.

If however our anxiety is without foundation; and there is nothing practicable we can do to change the situation; we should trust in God. This is what He asks of us. To tell Him how we feel and seek His help to calm us down. He has conquered fear. He has conquered the future. As well as evil. Forever.

Do not be afraid – I will save you. I have called you by name – you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 

It is no point having faith in a Master who walks on water if we do not trust Him enough to follow Him.
 

21 comments:

  1. THANKS! I doubt I would have had the faith, but I wish I could have seen Bro. Peter give it a go! I have never looked at his shot at walking on water as a failure.....
    Sherry & jack in an overcast Florida

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    1. No it was not a total failure. He had enough faith to walk on water when Jesus asked him to get out of the boat. Then, as happens to all of us, his faith faltered for a while and he began sinking. But Jesus was there for him. As He is for all of us too.

      Very sunny here in the UK, but still a little cold.

      God bless you, Sherry and Jack.

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  2. Dearest Victor,
    Yes, praying is the answer for a lot of things!
    Not being fearful by nature is a big help but we all don't know what the longterm consequences will be with all illegals flooding our countries.
    May Faith stand and guide us through some dark times.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. We need to trust God more and rely less on our own understanding and actions.

      God bless you, Mariette.

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  3. Without prayer and trust, we can never rest in God’s assurance that He will take care of us. Beautiful message. Take care and blessings.

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    1. Amen Nells. I hope and pray you are keeping well.

      God bless always.

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  4. More often than not I'm plagued by free-floating, undefinable anxiety/fears. What to do in those wee hours of the morning but pray. Then pray some more.

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    1. Yes, you got the answer, Mevely. Often the devil waits until we are tired, hungry perhaps, or just a little weak, and then he lets us worry about many things just to lead us astray. Remember, he tried to worry and tempt Jesus several times. So we are not much of a challenge for him, are we? Prayers are the answer. Ask God to protect you when in such situations.

      God bless.

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  5. We are all plagued with unwarranted fears now and again, Victor, and the only answer is prayer.
    Blessings!

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    1. You said it right, Martha. Pray for me.

      God bless always.

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  6. ...trust is so important!

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  7. God is only a prayer away, always!

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  8. Excellent post! Great statement by Bill!

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  9. Last i checked, He is still on the Throne, so we can be secure that nothing is a surprise to Him.

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  10. God is in control, thankfully.

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I PRAY FOR ALL WHO COMMENT HERE.

God bless you.