Article August 26, 1991 Issue

Courage through obedience to God

A lifetime of fear is no excuse for being afraid forever.

Joan Sieber Ware

Living without fear sounds to many like a far-off paradise or mission impossible. Fear seems to be an almost inevitable part of daily life. We may be afraid of what we can't do or of what we must do, of how little we have or of how to protect what we do have. The list could go on and on.

Since the time I was a small child, I'd been extremely shy and self-conscious. Anything one step away from the ordinary gave me great concern. With some understanding of God, I'd been able to do many things I thought I'd never be able to do —but never without a black hole of fear and doubt. I might come across like a strong oak on the outside, but inside I felt like a trembling leaf. Thanks to Christian Science, however, I learned to pray my way through and out of fearful self-concern.

My prayers began with the Bible, which tells us quite clearly, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." So fear is not God-created, God-sanctioned, or God-sustained. Fear cannot possibly exist where God is, because, according to Scripture, He is good and all-powerful, perfect Love and immortal Spirit. God must therefore be, and is, everywhere. The more we feel this universal presence and power in our lives, the less valid the arguments of fear will appear to be.

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