Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Matthew 8:26
“Are you afraid of meeting a bear?” Like anyone in new surroundings, the couple asking me this question was confused, unsure of themselves, and a little fearful. This was their first time in bona-fide wilderness, far from their city home in Miami, and I had just explained to them that they were mildly lost. To them, a guy hiking by himself with no map on a trail that seemed to be going straight to nowhere didn’t fit into anything that they considered safe. Add to that the natural fear of bears and the sensational warnings in the park newspaper, and you can understand why seeing a bear would probably be the most paralyzing thing they could imagine.
I’ve met a couple of bears in Yosemite. I use to hunt them in Northern Michigan, and even had the opportunity to look one in his glazed-over eyes as he was hibernating in his winter den. This isn’t to dismiss their strength or ability to maim. If you watch a bear through binoculars, you’ll see the muscles ripple across his shoulders while he walks and know immediately that he could destroy you easily enough. However, it’s just not the character of bears to destroy or even to attack humans. When I’m hiking, the couple of granola bars and bag of trail mix in my pack is not worth going for. So if I see a bear, unless he is really close to the trail, I just walk by. I don’t bother him, and he doesn’t bother me. It’s his character to ignore me and so I have no need to fear.
In life, the things that we fear are often far more dangerous than a hungry bear. Our flesh really will destroy us. Other people’s actions and choices can tear at our souls and break our hearts. Physical accidents and long-term ailments can leave us maimed forever, perhaps unable to ever see our dreams come true. Sin kills us, one day at a time, and never gives back. This is real danger – but should we fear?
With bears, there is no need for fear because their character is not to harm. In the rest of life, there is no need to fear because it is God’s character to protect, sustain, and give joy to those that seek Him first. Why are you fearful, when God is so great? Can anything really ruin your life? Is it possible that God could be displeased with you for something that was outside of your control? Of course not. God just wants us to be completely consecrated to Him, and we can do that no matter what our situation.
So what causes us to fear? Often it is a lack of faith. We don’t believe that God is as great as He says He is. It could also be that we want something different than what God wants. God’s goodness provides little assurance if you don’t want what God says is good for you. So trust Him. Trust Him to give you the desires of your heart. Let Him throw out everything you value so highly, and then let Him replace it with the things that He values. When your purpose and values are completely aligned with a God so great, there is nothing to fear.
