The battle of worry and anxiety is actually a battle between fear and faith. We often don’t think of worry that way, but this is the reality of worry and anxiety. At its root, worry is about fear. Fear of what could happen or is happening.

Our world is driven by fear. Fear causes the wild fluctuations in the stock market. Fear that we won’t have enough keeps us from giving generously to God. Fear of failure keeps us from trying new things and stepping out of our comfort zone. Fear of what others will think of us keeps us from speaking up when we should. Fear of the unknown keeps us from following the promptings of Jesus when they come. 

There are many examples of fear in Scripture. I love the humanness of the disciples because I can relate to that humanness. They had seen Jesus feed the five thousand, cast out demons, heal the blind and the mute, and raise a girl from the dead, yet there were still instances when they found themselves deeply fearful.

One of those times occurred when they found themselves without Jesus in a storm and then saw Jesus walking toward them across the water. “‘It is a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus, But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’” (Matthew 14:22-31).

Two things Jesus says here stand out. First he says, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” The command “Do not be afraid” occurs 365 times in Scripture, one for each day of the year. Worry is fear and fear is the human condition, but it is not what Jesus wants for us. Why? Because of His second statement: “You of little faith, why did you doubt.” If God is all powerful, all good, and loves us endlessly, why would we doubt that He has our particular situation under control, that He is with us and can deal with anything we are facing? 

We do not need to carry fear or worry or anxiety. Jesus wants to do that for us, and for Him, it is no burden because He is always sovereign over our situation. You see, the opposite of worry and fear is faith. Fear holds us back while faith drives us forward. Fear says be cautious in all things, while faith says, be bold in your followership. And here is our question today: Is our life driven more by fear or by faith? Caution or boldness? 

What do you fear today? Your worry and anxiety is nothing other than fear. Jesus would say to you the same thing he said to Peter: “Take courage, it is I, don’t be afraid.” Letting go is always about choosing faith over fear.  

Father, I have often been like the disciples. In spite of all the things I have seen You do in my life, I still latch on to fear and worry. Like Peter, I can have faith one minute and fear the next. Would You teach me to daily take courage from You and to give my fears to You. I want to live free and unafraid. Amen.