It’s amazing how many things people fear today or show anxiety for. Some are quite understandable, and others are just plain ridiculous when mentioned. From the more understandable phobia of dark places, closed tight spaces and very high heights to the phobias of, I am not making this up, bright colours, dust, chewing gum and one’s own reflection. Underlying factors behind all these fears is the inability to control the unknown probability of coming to harm or experiencing trauma due to the situation or thing we show anxiety for.

As Christians, scripture admonishes us to be anxious for nothing and also gives us a lot of reasons not to be afraid of even the things that seek to harm us. Giving us the greatest assurance that, even though we may not know the results of such situations, the Almighty Sovereign God whom we belong to, knows and is in control. God is the factor that outweighs the sum of all fears and his knowledge of past, present and future events is supposed to be the comfort, not a fluffy teddy bear nor soothing blanket but a source of strength, to live a life that is pleasing to Him. But surprisingly “Christians” of today are showing an anxiety that goes against the trend, a fear of God’s will.

For example, if you to want live a long and prosperous life devoid of any difficulties or hardship, if you believe that any opposition to your “next level”, promotion, breakthrough is of the “enemy”, if you believe that the purpose of your life is to dive into a divinely provided pool of abundance #ScroogeMcDuckStyle and if you believe that you are destined to not die “before your time”, then you are such a fellow.

To hold on to these views is to ignore the will of God for the life of every believer, i.e. to change us gradually through renewal by the Holy Spirit, through his word, into the image of Christ. This process comes with a lot of things like, not loving the world even though we are in it, not loving our riches even though we have to earn our keep, not loving even our comfort and life as we hold on to the name of Christ and share in his suffering or even die for it. As God told Ananias regarding Paul’s conversion, and Jesus said concerning our own journey in Him.

15. But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Acts 9:15-16 KJV

39. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matt 10:39 KJV

If we put our life, desires and wants in place of our true need as believers i.e. God’s name and what he wants to be done in our lives, then why won’t we fear the hands of the potter which giveth and taketh away from the clay sitting on the spinning wheel of life and its times and seasons, from which we aren’t immune. Look… Don’t get it twisted. I’m not saying not to pray in times of distress, lack, hardship or opposition. But our anxiety of the things we pray about is to be cancelled out by the provision of God’s peace of mind in the knowledge of Christ which surpasses even our understanding of the things that plague us. Let’s not forget that sometimes, God’s will is that his grace is sufficient for us.