“Scared”

I don’t know why we do it,

Well, yes, I guess I do,

It’s something down inside us,

Affects us all, it’s true.

And that’s the fear that grips us,

It says expect the worst,

Makes us fume and worry,

It truly is a curse.

Faith in the wrong direction,

Steals all our belief,

Makes us doubt our mission,

Gives us no relief.

And we know where it comes from,

But even then we strain,

To keep on treading water,

And calling Jesus’ name,

A cowboy won’t admit it,

He’ll just shut his mouth,

Pretend he doesn’t feel it,

Until things just go south.

And finally he’s honest,

With those who really care,

He’ll admit he’s scared to death,

If he’s off somewhere,

And that is just the first step,

In getting help you need,

And never fear, deal with it,

And if we seek, we’ll find.

Let the love of the Father,

Expel all that is scared,

And make sure we are living,

All that we have dared.

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear...”  (1 John 4:18, NLT)

God’s answer to our fear is not stronger faith.  Rather, it is God’s love that casts it out and refuses to coexist with fear.  This does not mean God is unmerciful to those who struggle with phobias of all kinds.  It means that healthy, ongoing doses of God’s love are needed for healing our paranoia and panic.  When love flows, fear has to go.  

Lord, deliver us from every fear, in Jesus’ name.