Somewhere as a child, I read this quote (a paraphrase of Shakespeare): “A coward dies a thousand times, a brave man only once.” It speaks to the devastating power of fear: I can be afraid of death or failure every moment of my life and, in doing so, I will be experiencing death and failure in my mind over and over again. Research shows that every time we linger in thoughts of death or expectations of suffering, our bodies suffer a degree of the corresponding trauma.
Some of us can be overcome with the fear of flying in an airplane even if it is a reliable plane with an experienced pilot on a storm-free day. When the plane reaches our destination, we may wonder what we were afraid of. Fear lies in the imagination—and not being overcome by conjured fears can be a profound challenge.
But if, suddenly, we are caught in a storm and our plane begins to wobble, we do have every right to feel fear. That rush of adrenaline that brings alertness and clear thinking is needed when we face danger. This physiological fear response is nothing to be ashamed of. We can be brave even as we face legitimate fear. As believers in Jesus, we have a special challenge because God may call us into danger. We might be called to cross a raging river, go to Nineveh, or face a Goliath. Throughout the Bible, we find stories of people laying it all on the line, trusting that God will come through for them.
God knows our proclivity to fear; he addressed it in his promise to Joshua: “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Through this passage, God reminds us that there is a way to remove the power of fear from our lives and trust him: by focusing on his faithful presence. Freedom from a life dominated by fear is right on the other side of faithfulness, trust, and obedience.
Wilma Derksen is the author of The Way of Letting Go: One Woman’s Walk Toward Forgiveness. You can find her at WilmaDerksen.com or follow her on Facebook.
