Does Fear Mean You Don’t Have Faith?
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When you look back at our heroes from the Bible, one thing the Bible commends them for was their faith. Reading about them becomes a source of inspiration, as you consider many of the challenges they faced, yet they maintained their belief in God. As inspiring as these stories may be, sometimes they can seem like a hurdle because you may feel your faith fails in comparison.
If there is one story of God using a man who had faith and fear, it was Gideon. When we are first introduced to Gideon in Judges, he was hiding from the Midianites threshing wheat. He did this because they were so oppressive, and he was afraid of them. Yet when God first spoke to Gideon, he didn’t call him a cowering wimp, he called him a mighty warrior. God told Gideon he would be the one to strike down all the Midianites.
Here is where this gets encouraging to you and me. Even though Gideon believed, he was still afraid. In case you don’t believe me consider this. After that initial encounter, God gave Gideon an instruction.
That instruction was clear, and I want you to notice how Gideon responded to this instruction.
I hope you see it. Gideon was afraid, yet he did it anyway. I hope this helps you see that having faith does not mean you won’t be afraid. There may be things God requires of you that are far greater than your natural ability to accomplish, and it is normal to be afraid. Don’t let that stop you. Sometimes if you don’t do it afraid, you may not do it at all.
It is okay to do it afraid. Allow me to reiterate. Faith is not the absence of fear. Faith is the courage to obey God and do what he asks even when you are afraid. This is exactly what Gideon did.
Perhaps the best part of the reality of faith and fear is this: God responds to your faith even when you are afraid. God knows we are flesh. He knows we are limited and he knows there will be times when we are nervous or afraid. That fear does not mean you don’t have faith. You can have fear, but as long as you do what God is telling you to do, you are acting in faith.
The reality of your walk with Jesus is that there are going to be times you are afraid. In these moments, do what he is asking you to do anyway. If you must, then act when you are afraid. Believe when you are afraid. Trust when you are afraid. Your fear is not an indicator you don’t have faith, and as Gideon has shown us, even mighty warriors can be mighty and still operate in fear.
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