Tuesday, June 10, 2008

FAITH OR FEAR?

By now we all know the price of gas at the pump, that it's rising too fast, making us wonder how far it will go. And we have all experienced some of its stress on our lives. We've been told the price of a barrel of oil could reach as high as $250 by 2010, and we've been told all the problems that will cause. I wonder, though, if most of our imagined problems are driven by reality or merely by speculation. And I wonder if such speculation itself is making the problem worse.

What if gas does reach $8 a gallon? What will happen to America if this or that person is elected president? What will happen if the War on Terrorism doesn't end soon? What will happen to our church if certain people have their way? Is the world coming to an end soon?

Perhaps we need to ask ourselves: Do we live by faith or by fear? Are our decisions made based on the bad that might happen, or the good God can make happen? Speculation has a rightful place in life as we weigh the consequences of various actions. But speculation based on fear rather than faith in God does not help us at all.

My first congregation out of the seminary was in a small North Dakota town where I made some lifelong friends. Roy was one of them, and though he is with the Lord now, several truths he shared changed my life. I, like so many others at the time, was a smoker and wanted to quit. Roy had quit long before and encouraged me to do the same. I told him I was worried I couldn't write a sermon without lighting up a few times, and he said,  "Pastor, it's worth a few bad sermons. Don't worry about what might happen, just do what's right." (I quit in 1972) 

A few other times I confided to Roy my struggles of what might happen if I chose this or that direction. His advice: "Just pick a direction and go that way. Make your decision and don't worry about all the other options. God will help you through it."

1 Peter 5:7 tells us, "Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." Care and worry are common to us all, but faith and God's strength is also available to us all. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

God is with us every step of the way. His Son Jesus knows your needs. Just trust Him! Don't fear the future so much. Like Roy said, "Don't worry about what might happen, just do what's right."

"God will help you through it."

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