Cindy Powell

 

Maybe it’s the result of being a middle child.

I’ve always been able to see multiple facets of an issue. I’m a big picture kind of girl.  I rarely get stuck on a single perspective. Honestly, it’s a bit annoying at times. Life would be so much simpler and tidier if everything was black and white.

But it’s not.

We are living in complicated times. Issues are rarely simple. Opinions abound. Politicking abounds. Rhetoric abounds.

But lately, I’ve noticed something else that abounds …

Fear.

And fear does not simplify.

-Fear distorts.
-Fear divides.
-Fear destructs.

Fear distracts.

Fear distracts us from what’s really important.

Fear is so focused on what we don’t want to happen that we miss opportunities to have tough conversations that might lead to breakthrough in the things we do want to see happen. Fear is so busy defending its own personal opinions, worldview, and agenda that we miss the opportunity to listen and learn.

Worst of all, fear is so busy magnifying the works of darkness that we miss the opportunity to be a light in the darkness.

Make no mistake, there are some very real reasons to fear out there. Look no further than this last week in Paris. Or in Beirut. Or in …

Well, sadly, the list goes on.

Should we be outraged and brokenhearted by these events? Should we stand in solidarity and compassion with our allies?

Of course.

But should we allow fear to motivate and manipulate our response?

I hope the answer is no.

The truth is we all have our own opinions about what we should and should not be doing in response to the very real and very serious threats we all face. We all have our biases. Whether you lean conservative or liberal; whether you tend toward naivety or believe everything is one big conspiracy and cover up; whether you see black and white or a million shades of gray—we all have our own unique personalities, core values, and life experiences that filter our personal responses to events.

And like it or not, we can all be impacted, influenced—and distracted—by fear.

But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Because perfect love still drives out fear.

Issues are complex. There are no easy, band-aid solutions to most of the very real perils of this age. But that doesn’t mean that solutions don’t exist.

They do.

They exist in heaven.

Perhaps if we spent a bit more time there we would actually begin to access those solutions. Perhaps if we refused to give in to the distraction of fear and spent more time focused on very presence of Love Himself –as opposed to posturing, postulating, and politicking–we would begin  see real change?

Beloved, it is heaven’s solutions that we need.

Not mine.

Not yours.

Not “theirs” (whoever “they” may be).

But His.

Because He is love.

And perfect love drives out fear.

Lord may Your perfect love drive out the fear in our hearts that we might begin to see as You see, love as You love … and respond as You respond. I thank You Father, that You alone see all and know all. We look to You to bring comfort and peace to those around the world who are hurting so unimaginably, as well as a response that is both compassionate and wise from those who seek Your ways. You are always faithful, always good, and always able. We rest in that truth today. ~Amen.