Perhaps there is a better way - we think so. For we are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity.
We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. At once, we commence to outgrow fear.(AA, pg 68)
Fear is a corrosive thread, indeed, as described by the AA book:
Notice that the word "fear" is bracketed alongside the difficulties with Mr. Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer, and the wife. This short word somehow touches about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling? (AA, pg 67)
Yet fear is not man's greatest problem as most people understand fear.
We have to go deeper.
Why are people afraid?
Now, certainly most people fear death, but in reality a great number of people choose to kill themselves rather than deal with life on life's terms.
Most often, the greatest trouble for individuals has to do with condemnation, rejection, and reproach.
Individuals are most often afflicted with terrible, frustrating memories, or they find themselves in bondage to terrible habits and addictions which they cannot overcome.
The source of this frustration begins and ends with our attempts to overcome ourselves, and we try to overcome this sin, this death in our own efforts, and such efforts are useless.
We need life, and that more abundantly, for every man, every son of Adam is born dead in trespasses.
This fear is based on separation from God, and this separation from God is a result of sin:
"10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." (Genesis 3: 10)
Adam was afraid because He was naked, i.e. he was ashamed.
This reproach kills us, gives us a sense of loneliness, emptiness, nakedness in our flesh.
We need the life of Christ to break us free from this spirit of fear.
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 15)
and
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1: 7)
Because fear is a spirit, we cannot get rid of it through our efforts, through rationalizing, through any human efforts.
Then what gets rid of fear in our lives?
John gives the answer:
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)
How does John define this perfect love?
"10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)
What does this love do for us?
Look at the key elements of the New Covenant:
"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Fear is a corrosive thread, indeed, as described by the AA book:
Notice that the word "fear" is bracketed alongside the difficulties with Mr. Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer, and the wife. This short word somehow touches about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling? (AA, pg 67)
Yet fear is not man's greatest problem as most people understand fear.
We have to go deeper.
Why are people afraid?
Now, certainly most people fear death, but in reality a great number of people choose to kill themselves rather than deal with life on life's terms.
Most often, the greatest trouble for individuals has to do with condemnation, rejection, and reproach.
Individuals are most often afflicted with terrible, frustrating memories, or they find themselves in bondage to terrible habits and addictions which they cannot overcome.
The source of this frustration begins and ends with our attempts to overcome ourselves, and we try to overcome this sin, this death in our own efforts, and such efforts are useless.
We need life, and that more abundantly, for every man, every son of Adam is born dead in trespasses.
This fear is based on separation from God, and this separation from God is a result of sin:
"10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." (Genesis 3: 10)
Adam was afraid because He was naked, i.e. he was ashamed.
This reproach kills us, gives us a sense of loneliness, emptiness, nakedness in our flesh.
We need the life of Christ to break us free from this spirit of fear.
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 15)
and
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1: 7)
Because fear is a spirit, we cannot get rid of it through our efforts, through rationalizing, through any human efforts.
Then what gets rid of fear in our lives?
John gives the answer:
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)
How does John define this perfect love?
"10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)
What does this love do for us?
Look at the key elements of the New Covenant:
"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
God is our god, no matter what we face, and He leads us from with. His spirit of adoption, His spirit of power, love, and a sound mind takes residence within us.
But there's more:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
A better translation reads: "Herein is love perfected among us"
The more that we see ourselves in Christ, the more that we grow in full understanding that as Christ is, so are we in this world, then we walk in power, and any fears in our lives dissipate into nothing.
Fear cannot be reasoned away, nor do we outgrow fear, but as we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord, we find any fears that face us flee!
Fear is a Spirit, Beloved, and not yours! Fear is not of God, for God is love! This love gave His Son to die for us, that He would live in us and bless us with all spiritual blessings!
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