I believe it was Franklin D. Roosevelt who said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” That statement was made at a time in history when numerous global and national circumstances were weighing heavily on the psyche of our nation. Then president Roosevelt, with his now famous statement, sought to encourage Americans not to let their fears control them―not to let fear become their focus.

The Bible also speaks to the issue of fear. Speaking to his fellow minister of the Gospel, the Apostle Paul told Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT). Without going into a lot of theological detail, permit me to simply say that Paul isn’t telling Timothy that he should never be afraid. Even logic tells us that for one to experience the absence of all fear wouldn’t be normal. Nor would such a state of mind be healthy in the long run. No, Paul isn’t saying that the Christian should never be fearful, but rather, that he should not live in a state of fear. We know this because the Greek word translated “spirit,” in the verse above, refers to a way of thinking, or a disposition of mind. In other words, fear should not be the controlling disposition of mind for the child of God. It’s one thing to experience an occasional bout with fear of the unknown, whether concerning death, or fear of overwhelming pain, for instance. However, it is quite another matter to live in a constant state of dread and fearfulness. God never intended His children to live like that.

So what’s the answer? When you find yourself being held captive by fear, make the choice the psalmist made, when he said, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3, KJV). Like the psalmist of old, be willing to admit that you are fearful. Nevertheless, don’t stop there. Determine to trust God with the unknown; the things you can’t change or control; or the things you can’t understand.

Don’t expect the emotion of fear to immediately disappear, for your emotions are often directly related to how you are thinking at a given moment. However, change begins with a choice. Choose to replace thoughts of fear with faith. You can do this by quoting 2 Timothy 1:7 and Psalm 56:3 to yourself. It’s easier to replace thoughts of fear than it is to drive them out of your mind. As your thinking changes, the emotion of fear will begin to dissolve into faith and peace.

Copyright © 2011 by Rev. Donnie L. Martin, Meditation of the Heart: Thoughts on the Christian Life. All rights reserved.