Living without Fear

Finding Security in an Insecure World
Today’s Reading Psalm 91-95
91:1, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”

When we look at all the uncertainty and turmoil in our world, it is easy to become gripped with fear and anxiety. It seems that every place we look, we see threats and fears. Not only do we see turmoil on a global level, but we also see the uncertainty with the political division in our own country. Even more fearful is the uncertainty we experience in our own lives and circumstances. Permeating our culture is a culture of fear, conflict, and competing worldviews that shows no signs of abating. Jennifer Gerlach examines the fear that grips our culture in her article in Psychology Today. She writes, “Centuries ago, the threats that faced our ancestors were severe and short-lived. Today, our fears are often much more abstract and long-lasting.”  In the past, we could find places of safety to escape our fears, but today it seems that the threats exist everywhere. Where can we find security and peace in a conflictive world?
The Psalmist in Psalm 91 points us to the source of our security. Our security is found in the presence of God. He begins his anthem of praise by painting a picture of one who is in a place of insecurity and helplessness. He is not writing the Psalm from the safety of his home. He is writing this Psalm from the perspective of one who is surrounded by real and pressing threats. Everywhere he turns, he encounters threats to his life. Yet in the midst of his turmoil, he finds a place of security. A refuge is a place where one flees when faced with a threat. The word “fortress”  speaks of an impregnable fortress that protects a person from any enemy. God protects us from real threats, not just imaginary ones.

To further illustrate God’s protective care, he uses the analogy of a bird that gathers her chicks under her wings. When a bird does so, she is assuming all the risks. Before the threat can reach her chick, it must first go through the mother. The mother will die before the threat can assault the chicks. When God protects us, He places Himself between the risk and us. This is why we do not need to be afraid, regardless of the threat. We not only have a protective wall, but we also have God Himself positioned between the danger and us. He protects us from both the natural and supernatural threats, both the real and the potential. There is nothing that we encounter in life that escapes the notice of God, and there is nothing that is beyond the power of God to deal with.  

Because of God’s infinite power and protection, we can live by faith rather than fear. No matter what happens in the world, no matter what threats arise, they are powerless to usurp the protective power of God that prevents us from any harm. Fear arises when we have the wrong focus. When we focus on the circumstance or threat, we become fearful and apprehensive. But when our focus and faith are upon the infinite God who is unparalleled in His power, unchallenged in His authority, and constant in His attentive care, then fear is replaced with confidence and security. When we start to become fearful, it serves as a reminder that our faith is no longer fixed upon God. Are you living a life of fear? Are you apprehensive about the future and about the moral confusion that plagues our culture? Then refocus upon the infinite God who promises that He will be our refuge and no evil will come upon us (vs 9-10).