Fear Not!

I started a new job recently as a hospice chaplain. I barely slept for

nights beforehand. I worried about my clothes, my approach as an evangelical, travel to and fro, the tracking technology I’d have to learn to use, my ability to juggle all the other responsibilities I have…and more.

None of it turned out to be worthy of anxiety….guess I should have “cast my care on Him.”

What a concept!

Yet over the years, I've noticed that I'm not the only one who finds it really hard to obey Jesus' command to "fear not" (Matt 10:31). In fact, the more I think about and try not to fear--the more I...well you know, the more I fear.

I think the key to this is to focus on faith. It's remembering who Jesus is and what He does for all of us. The context of Jesus admonitions against fear ALWAYS center on His power, perfection, faithfulness and track record of provision (See Matthew 6 for instance).

So my advice is--instead of trying hard NOT to fear, focus your attention on all the reasons you have for faith. Focus on the reality of God's goodness...and watch the fear...disappear!

To that end,

Pastor Joel