“for God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.”
What do you do when you’re living in fear? When paranoia (justified or exaggerated) causes you to be hyper-aware of your surroundings? When you go to bed drained only to wake up with dread? When social interaction is a danger? When leaving your room feels like a risk? When you know exactly who to avoid, but not who to trust?
In the past few months, I have witnessed the impact of a spirit of fear. I have picked friends up from classes, taken the long way home to avoid the populated areas, gone in groups to do laundry, eaten on my dorm floor instead of the cafeteria, built forts in an attempt to create a safe place, and stayed up into the early hours of the morning to make sure everyone got back safely.
Security was non-existent, lying was a necessity, and paranoia was normal.
There are many places in the world (fun fact: I’m in El Salvador right now) where living in fear is just a fact of life. Even though our fear was justified, as are the fears of others around the world, we need to remember that fear isn’t from God; fear came in the aftermath of sin. 2 Timothy tells us, that “God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” We are no longer slaves to fear, but rather free in the authority (power), sacrifice (love), and righteousness (self-control) of Christ’s death and resurrection.
At the end of the school year, I promised I would come back in the fall with blonder hair, tanner skin, and a sense of freedom rather than a heavy heart and fearful spirit. That’s when God showed me Galatians 5:13-
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
My first thought was, “How can giving more of myself away be freedom?!? I have given all I can to this situation! I’m exhausted! How can you tell me, Lord, that freedom is just more taking, and no receiving!” ….. And then I started this internship in El Salvador that required me to serve others pretty much 24/7 (explanation here), and I finally get it. Before God changed my heart, I thought about myself, my choices, my security, and my feelings first. In taking control of my own life, I failed both myself and others, because instead of feeling free, I felt trapped in my own sin and the destruction of a fallen world. When Christ set me free, I finally had the opportunity and the choice to give myself to him instead. True freedom was the choice to give up my independence for true love, joy, and peace in my savior and redeemer.
So when God tells us that we are called to freedom, we think the ability to do whatever we want, but God says no, it is rather the ability to do what is good for the first time.
Because let me tell you, when I am working in El Salvador, I feel so genuinely free. The ability to go out and do something for someone else is a beautiful thing. I get to love. I get to serve. I get to give.
For God did not give me fear, but rather gave himself away to me in love so that I could be free to do the same.
Welcome to sonship over slavery, eternal over fleeting, and love over fear.
Song that goes with this there here
