Fear is like the monster under my kids’ beds — its power is fueled not by what’s really there, but by what might be, what we imagine could be. Fear is a hollow darkness in the future that reaches back through time to rob our joy now by belittling the sovereign goodness of God.
But if we are in Christ, if we cling to him by faith, we don’t have to fear. Really, we don’t.
John Piper explains why in a 2001 letter he wrote to the people of Bethlehem. The point of the letter is to highlight several promises in the Bible that we can remember when the temptation of fear assaults us.
13 Reasons Not to Be Afraid
We will not die apart from God’s gracious decree for his children.
Curses and divination do not hold sway against God’s people.
The plans of terrorists and hostile nations do not succeed apart from our gracious God.
Man cannot harm us beyond God’s gracious will for us.
God promises to protect his own from all that is not finally good for them.
God promises to give us all we need to obey, enjoy, and honor him forever.
God is never taken off guard.
God will be with us, help us, and uphold us in trouble.
Terrors will come, some of us will die, but not a hair of our heads will perish.
Nothing befalls God’s own but in its appointed hour.
When God Almighty is your helper, none can harm you beyond what he decrees.
God’s faithfulness is based on the firm value of his name, not the fickle measure of our obedience.
The Lord, our protector, is great and awesome.
Jonathan Parnell (@jonathanparnell) is the lead pastor of Cities Church in Minneapolis/St. Paul, where he lives with his wife, Melissa, and their five children. He is co-editor of Designed for Joy: How the Gospel Impacts Men and Women, Identity and Practice.