Sunday 31 August 2008

Fear and Faith

I have been thinking today about the passage that Claire read from 'The Shack' because of my current situation and I'm not sure how much I agree with the idea of not believing enough in Jesus if I look forward to the future with fear (this could bring a very big dose of guilt with it). I think it is more to do with my human-ness - I know deep down that eveything will be okay because God is with me and I trust he has put where I am but at another level often the overriding emotion is that I am anxious/fearful about what is going to happen. I do question and this might just be me but I doubt it, whether it is possible to look to the future 100% of the time without anxiety and some intrepidation. Even Jesus when he looked towards the cross asked his Father to take the cup away probably because he was fearful of what was going to happen (who wouldn't be) but he went through with it anyway because it was the Father's will. It's more like feel the fear and do it anyway. I think it can actually be dangerous to have no fear in situations, but we can still trust God to be with us when we feel the fear.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 'Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today. Jesus was acknowledging the fact that we will worry about tomorrow and was giving us some guidance to concentrate on todays worries and forget about tomorrow until it's today!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

A Prayer for the New School Year

New term begins
And ahead are many challenges;
Some old ground that must be gone over,
Some new ground that must be won.

Be with us Lord as we take the steps into the week.
Don’t let us ever feel the problems are so big you can’t deal with them,
Or so beneath you that we cannot bring them to you

Keep us facing you
And looking for you in everyone we meet.
Keep us positioned to know your love.
Help us to be generous givers,
And help us learn to receive with equal grace.

The shape of the coming days is uncertain;
The intricacies we must face as they arrive,
But walk with us into those moments.
Surround and infuse us,
And Keep us in you.