God Cares

Ed Welch’s Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest and Elyse Fitzpatrick’s Overcoming Fear, Worry, and Anxiety are both treasure troves of biblical encouragement re: fear. Consider just a few of my notes from reading these excellent books. (These excerpts are a mish-mash of direct quotes and my own paraphrased reminders.)

Elyse Fitzpatrick: ‘Fear affects your body and your behavior … If you generally feel stressed about your responsibilities or fearful about your life, you won’t feel comfortable relaxing and you probably won’t take the time to eat properly or exercise. The inability to relax or sleep soundly will heighten your sensitivity to alarm and danger, causing more adrenaline to be released into your body which, in turn, can bring on even more sleep problems. Drinking caffeine to overcome the tired and sluggish feeling caused by lack of sleep will then simply compound the problem … The results of fear may create more fear, leading toward total slavery.’

(Consider right now the level of tension in your head, neck, and back. As Dr. Welch asks, ‘Who told your body that the sky is falling?’)

Ed Welch: The command ‘Do not be afraid.’ occurs in Scripture over 300 times!

Do not be afraid Abram. (Gen 15:1)
Do not be afraid Hagar (Gen 21)
Do not be afraid Jacob (Gen 26:24)
Do not be afraid Moses (Num 21:34)
Do not be afraid, King Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 20:15)
Do not be afraid O little Israel (Isaiah 41:4)
 Do not be afraid Daniel (Can 10:12)
Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul (Matthew 10:28 )

But Jesus immediately said to them ‘Take courage! It is I. don’t be afraid’ Matthew 14:27

Then Jesus said to them ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee’ Matt 28:10

‘Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life …’ Luke 12:22

Are these commands with a tone of judicial warning or are they parental encouragement? Ed Welch: “Luke places the emphasis on parental encouragement.”

‘The number of times God addresses our fears shows that he cares.’

Revelation 1:17-18: “Do not be afraid … I am the living one. I was dead and behold I am alive for ever and ever!”