911 - A Primer in Courage - Pt 1

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV). We are eleven years after that terrible day when most of us witnessed the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. I doubt that any of us will soon forget the events of that day and the many repercussions since. Perhaps the most difficult of all the consequences of that day is the feelings of fear. It seems that we have a new reason for fear everyday. Fear has become a “normal” part of our daily lives. And, in some instances there is good reason to be concerned. However, fear is a tool of the devil and God has provided us with an eternal hope that may vanquish fear. I am not advocating that we simply live our lives in some Pollyanna denial of reality, however there is a difference in an appropriate fear that makes us take actions that protect us, and living in a state of fear that hinders everyday life. When fear goes past it's function of keeping us alert it interferes with our ability to connect to the things in life that are important to us. We find it more difficult to function well in our significant relationships, our work, recreation, and the rest of the activities that we hold dear to our hearts. At that point, we need more than protection from the things that are causing the fear. Indeed, we need protection from the fear itself. In the short space used in these devotionals, it is difficult to say much, however in the next few days I will suggest a few practical things to do to erase the fear that paralyzes us.  First, understand that you hope is in Christ, not government. Of course, we want a strong government and the protection that comes from that. However, our real hope is not in what our government can do for us. If we have learned anything at all from the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, it has been that the government cannot protect us from everything. The only real protection comes in the salvation that is our in Christ Jesus. Then, no matter what happens, nothing can really harm us (cf. Romans 8:31-36).  Second, connect to others. Being around others helps us feel more secure. This has been proven time and time again, from dealing with sickness, to loss, to trauma, and even death. We seem to be designed to feel better and calmer when we are "close to the tribe." But just being in a crowd does not suffice. We must have our hearts knitted together, and to do that we have to talk to one another about our fears, feelings, insecurities and the like, and give and take the support that comes from a good support system. So, in this time, get close to the ones you love, the ones you feel supported by personally, and the larger community that you are a part of, like a church, Bible study group, or other organization that is addressing the situation and processing it. Tomorrow we’ll look at a few more suggestions. Today pray and ask the God of all hope to encourage you and grant you peace.