The title of this article is actually a quote from Jesus in verse 36 of Mark 5: "Do not fear, only believe." This statement resonates with me and settles deep in my soul. As humans, we fear. We are not able to do everything, we can't control all things, there are disasters, accidents, disease and death. In life as we know it, there are babies dying of complications; husbands having affairs on their wives; wives running off with childhood sweethearts; children murdering their grandmas with a hatchet; people without a stable mind blowing people apart in movie theaters, hurricanes tearing through cities- states, destroying them; people that we know personally, dying from a major accident- and yet Jesus said, "Do not fear." Do you know that some form of "Do not fear" is mentioned 365 times in the Bible. (according to a few online references)? Some sites were saying Jesus wants us not to fear every 365 days of the year! What a great thought! But in Mark 5, it doesn't just end with do not fear, but also, "only believe". There are so many things our flesh can fear in this world, if we don't trust Jesus and His plan. But as believers we are called to believe rather than fear. How does this change your circumstance right now, or the one you had last year, or the one you will face in 6 months? If we set our minds on Christ and be reminded of Jesus' words here, would we have more confidence in Him and honestly be fearless of worldly things? There is one thing we are called to fear, and that is God, so in that fear of God, comes fearlessness of the world. Remember, John 16:33~ "In this world you will have tribulation (disasters, accidents, disease, death). But take heart; I have overcome the world." Jesus tells not to fear, because in Him, WE DON'T HAVE TO! Isn't that amazing? When the world is falling down around us, we can be fearless and know that He is in control. We need to put away our fleshly tendencies to fear, and rather put on our identity in Christ and believe.
~Leanne~
~Leanne~
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