So far we have covered four of our six topics in our Fearless series. We’ve looked at fear of death, fear of disappointing God and fear of not mattering. We’ve also asked ourselves the question why we fear at all. After all we follow a God who is strong and powerful, intimate and protective. What is there that could possible overwhelm us when the God of creation, who has defeated sin and death is with us always?
Ultimately, what we find in Fearless is that the secret to conquering life’s fears begins and ends with Jesus Christ. Without Jesus, we are hopeless to conquer fears. Thankfully, Jesus wants every single person to know him and find peace through knowing him. Only by trusting Jesus will our fears be stilled and our striving cease. As a congregation our purpose is to be Growing Disciples who Exalt, Explore, Embody, Engage. This is about a growing relationship with Jesus where we trust him more as we face the difficult and scary things of our life.
There is more to Fearless than the six topics that we’re studying in our Explore Groups and worship. I’d encourage you to read the whole Fearless book and not just the six chapters we’re studying. Topics like fear of violence, fear of not protecting our kids, fear of God not being real and fear of worst case scenarios are dealt with.
Max Lucado has such a comfortable way with words. His stories are thoughtful and provoking, yet easy to read. He has a comforting way about him, even as he discusses difficult life and death situations he does so with care and compassion always pointing back to the truth in the Bible. He even candidly shares his own personal experiences throughout the book, his heart problem and subsequent surgery, the death of his brother, his daughter’s upcoming marriage and how keeping his eyes fixed on Jesus and keeping an eternal perspective helped him find peace during the storms of life.
Some of the topics he addresses won’t resonate with you, they certainly don’t resonate with me. I’ve tried to imagine being scared of some of these things and just can’t imagine it. But by reading about some other topics I’ve learnt new things about myself. I’ve discovered that there are fears that lurk down deep within me and cause me to act and react in certain ways. At other times as I’ve read I’ve been aware of fears that I hold and I’ve learnt ways to overcome them and live the courageous life that Jesus wants for me.
Life is an ongoing lesson about who we are and who we’re meant to be in Jesus Christ. Be excited about what Jesus has to teach you through excellent resources like this book.
Grace and peace
David Fender
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