Breaking Fear: Bible Study blog for November 13

Photo courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee / freedigitalphotos.net

Tonight, we read of Moses sending spies to explore the land to where God was leading them.  The spies returned with a mixed report: the land was indeed great, but the land was occupied by giant people and giant fortresses.  As word spread, the consensus became that the land “devours those living in it,” and “we seemed like grasshoppers” in comparison to them. Frightened and intimidated beyond words, the Israelites were prepared to choose a new leader and go back to Egypt.  Confronted by their worst fears, they quickly forgot God’s promises, as well as all of the mighty acts God had been performing right before their eyes.

Tonight, we learned that faith is so much greater than just a set of beliefs.  Faith is trusting in the promises of God when all else would suggest that God’s promises are mere fantasy. Faith is trusting that God is greater than all the giants. 

But fear is tremendously toxic to faith.  Not only does faith make God seem so small (or non-existent), fear can make even small difficulties seem huge.  Much of the time, fear exercises so much influence that we say “no” to a life of discipleship without even thinking of it.  When Jesus calls to live out our faith, how often do we say “no” because of the fear of failure?  The fear of rejection?  How often do we put ourselves down, an deny our God-given gifts and talents?  When time, energy, and resources are scarce, and confidence in our abilities is low, how often do we “play it safe,” rather than risking ourselves and trusting in God to provide?

Fear can also multiply the want of things that are not of God, so that we turn our back on Christ and pursue other priorities out of fear of missing out on something good.

We cannot truly know God if we’re not willing to trust God, put God first, and live in anticipation of God keeping promises.

Living in faith means facing our fears head-on, moving forward to take hold of God’s promises, even against all odds.  Faith is remembering that when troubles are big, God is still bigger.  God, who raises the dead, has power and dominion over all the forces of suffering and evil in the world.  Not even death and the devil will keep God from fulfilling every promise to us.  And even though we will indeed fail, make mistakes, and sin, God can use those to teach us and form us according to his desires.  God’s grace is sufficient for every need.

Our next Bible study will be Thursday, November 20 at 7:00, following our evening Word & Sacrament at 6:30.