By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
As children, we often were afraid, whether it was because of the bully down the street, the darkness, strange sounds, scary movies or television shows, you name it. I was no different. For years, I would never watch “The Twilight Zone.” Now, it is one of my favorite old shows. The imagination of the writers was incredible. I understand that now. I didn’t when I was 7 or 8 years old.
As we grew older, our fears changed. We feared getting cut from the baseball team or failing a test in school or being laughed at by our schoolmates. We feared rejection.
When we became adults, our fears came along with us, just on a different scale. We began to fear what would happen if we lost our jobs or our homes. We read the news headlines and feared what was going on in countries around us or what would happen if the economy failed. We read about the evil in the world and worry about how we can protect our families and our way of life.
Lonnie Wilkey
Then, two years ago, COVID-19 exploded into the world and gave us something new to fear. Illness and disease have been feared for centuries. Consider leprosy in biblical times, diseases over the centuries such as typhoid and yellow fever and more. In recent years we fear cancer and other diseases/illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia that come along with the aging process. You might even say some people fear getting old.
According to a recent report in MedicareAdvantage.com posted on May 5, 2021, COVID is the fifth most feared disease in America, behind cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart attacks/disease and strokes. That is an amazing stat since COVID has been around for basically two years.
But as 2022 has gotten underway, COVID is still with us and probably always will be. We can fear it or we can learn to live with it just as we have with every other disease known to mankind. Fear is a way of life, but does it need to be?
I don’t do New Year’s resolutions anymore. They never have worked much for me. This issue is dated Jan. 12. Usually, I have broken every resolution I have ever made by the 12th day of the month.
But there is one resolution that every Christian should make but it needs to become a lifestyle, not a resolution — fear not.
The Bible makes it clear. There are hundreds of verses that remind us to fear not or to not be afraid or to worry.
Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) says it well, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
In John 6:20 )NKJV), Jesus tells His disciples, “do not be afraid.”
And, we read in Proverbs 29:25 (NKJV), “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”
Good words from the most trusted book ever written — the divine, inspired and infallible Word of God.
We have no idea what 2022 will bring. But whatever comes along, we know the One who is in control and He will handle it. So, don’t just resolve to fear not. Just do it. Fear not in 2022.
