Fear can be overwhelming, debilitating, and an extremely difficult emotion to handle. Have you noticed how good we are experiencing anxiety and fear? We are afraid of snakes, heights, spiders, the dark, and did I mention snakes???
Some people think that it is an emotion that no preacher should ever admit to facing. But there are “issues” in the lives of preachers that lend themselves to being fearful.
You know, the same biggies that “normal” people feel: Family concerns, financial issues, loneliness, the future, the unknown, and even feelings of inadequacy.
We may know better than most that we are supposed to trust the Lord and give Him all our worries, concerns, and fears. Let’s be honest, it’s easy to say, it’s even easy to quote Scripture, and it can even be easy for us to preach about it, but it isn’t always easy for us to do!
May I share with you a couple of things that have helped me in my own struggles with the fear of loneliness, the future, and the unknown? (1) Speak honestly with our Father, every day. His throne room is always open, and He desires that we speak with him honestly about life. He longs for us to cast all our anxieties on Him because He truly cares for us.
(2) It may sound simplistic to those of us who do this for a living, but we can’t overstate the value of spending time with God’s Word every day. If you feel gripped by fear, read the words and thoughts of the Psalms. It may help to know that the man after God’s heart wrestled with the fear of the unknown in his life.
(3) Surround yourself with people who love you. Sure, we have work to do, but to be able to handle fear, we have to find time to spend with people who have some depth of understanding and who care about us.
(4) Know that you are not alone. There are many other Christians, there are other preachers who understand and who feel what you are experiencing. There are fellow strugglers who understand where you are in your life right now.
Don’t let fear win. Make sure that your faith defeats fear and keep living and working for the glory of God. May God’s peace that passes all understanding fill your heart and mind.
