The Encourager
“God's Solutions for Our Fears - by Jeff Curtis”
God’s Solutions for Our Fears
By Jeff Curtis
The Bible often speaks to our deep-seated fears.
“Does my life have any purpose?” Some people panic because life seems to be passing them by and they have accomplished so little. As a result, they feel useless to others and often useless to God. Most Christians can find some part of their lives in the story of Deborah and Barak, in Judges chapter 4. Whether their dread arises out of nervousness or shyness or the sense of being an outsider, those with such fears can comfort in the ways God used these people.
“Can the church survive the evil in the world around us?” Some Christians live in apprehension because of what they see as the rise of a culture that is hostile to their faith. Church members may complain about the decline of church attendance or morality or character. At times, they begin to think that Christians can’t function or even survive in such a foreign environment.
The story of Deborah and Barak took place in a time in which God’s own people rejected Him and often seemed hostile to Him. However, rejection and hostility didn’t prevent Deborah and Barak from living out their faith. Really Barak’s faith earned him a mention in Hebrews 11. This story gives all Christians hope that, no matter what our environment may be, we can always rely on the faithfulness of God.
“I am beyond God’s mercy. Is there any hope?” Others fear they have drifted so far from holiness, purity and even God that they are beyond redemption. At the core of their fear is the sense that they have crossed a point of no return with God.
They believe their sins have been so terrible, their deceit too costly, and their denials too loud. And they find themselves in company with the Israelites of old who had done the same and more. In the story of Deborah and Barak, God called them to rescue just those kinds of people. The word “mercy” doesn’t appear anywhere in this story, but the events of this episode shout that God’s mercy is available even for those who feel helpless.
