Article December 26, 1994 ISSUE

Overcoming fear of accidents

Elizabeth Dawn Diffa

At one time when Christ Jesus and his disciples were in a ship, a great storm arose (see Mark 4:37-41). Mark's Gospel states, "The waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full." While the storm raged around them, Jesus slept.

The disciples, amazed that Jesus could still be asleep, woke him in great fear and asked, "Carest thou not that we perish?" Jesus got up, stilled the storm, and questioned his disciples: "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?"

For many years, I too, struggled with the fear of danger and accidents. This fear would be more intense whenever I flew in an airplane. Yes, I did pray a lot prior to my travels, but still the nagging fear persisted. Then one day a question similar to those Jesus asked his disciples came to my thought: "How can you be afraid of accidents when you have had so many proofs of God's care in your life?" Mark's Gospel does not tell us how the disciples felt when Jesus asked them those stinging questions. I know I felt slightly guilty when that question came to me.

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