Why Are You So Afraid?  

Guest Writer: Meet my son-in-law Tripp Prince. We are blessed to have him as our guest writer. 

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – July 8, 2015

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith? Mark 4:39-40

If we’re honest with ourselves, every single one of us has something that we fear.

Be it small or large, in our weakness, we as human beings are all prone to fear and anxiety. From fear of war and economic collapse to anxiety about health and relationships, so much of our lives seem to be driven by fear. For us as Christ followers, the great danger is to let fear be so dominant in our thoughts and minds that when we hear good news, news of joy and hope and rescue, we struggle to receive it.

Today, Jesus wants to break through the anxiety and confusion of our world and our hearts and announce the good news of the gospel by asking us one simple question: “Why are you so afraid?”

For many of us, we struggle with fear when we don’t yet fully trust and believe that Jesus is who he says he is.

We forget that he is the one who calms the storms, who subdues and brings order to creation and to the tempest that rages inside each of our hearts. When we forget this, we live as though we’re stranded at sea in a storm, rather than held fast and kept safe by the Lord Jesus.

Fear-based living can present itself in a variety of ways. We may fear that we won’t have enough money or resources for college tuition and retirement. We may simply fear the loss of control or the unknown. Those of us who are parents are often tempted to parent from a place of fear, forgetting that God cares for our children more than we can possibly imagine.

These fears and others are always present, threatening our peace and our hope in Christ. And so we must be people who choose today to reject fear and trust fully in the protection and care of Jesus who is with us and loves us perfectly.

As Scripture reminds us, “perfect love casts out fear” (1 Jn. 4:18). When we encounter the perfect love of Jesus, when we trust that he will never leave or forsake us, fear is cast out and we find rest for our weary souls.

Trust afresh in the power and protection of Jesus, and remember that in Christ there is nothing to fear!

Prayer: Father, thank you that we can put our hope and trust in you and that your love for us casts out every form of fear and anxiety.

Related Readings: Psalm 23:4; Psalm 34:4; Luke 2:10; 2 Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 13:6

Post/Tweet this today: Reject fear and trust fully in the protection and care of Jesus who is with us and loves us perfectly. #fearnot #trust

Two Minutes in the Bible Through Proverbs: You’ll soon be enjoying the benefits of a storehouse of wisdom in your heart. Pre-order Boyd’s newest devotional book coming August 1st! (Learn more about our friends at Harvest House Publishers)

Additional Resource: 6 minute worship video- Casting Crowns: Jesus, Friend of Sinners 

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