Capturing Fear

There is a lot of fear in our world. In many cases, we give into this fear on a daily basis.  We don't have to look very hard for it either.  It's on our newsfeed.  It's on the television.  It's in the conversations we have.  An unrelenting, devastating attack on us every minute of the day.

If you are a follower of God, you know that operating as a strident leader is difficult.  Doing God's work under the ever-present pressure of a world gone wild is hard, and sometimes even the most diligent workers fall into the trap of fear.

If you remember the story of Elijah, you will get a good picture of fear.  Elijah was one of God's most devoted prophets.  He challenged King Ahab face to face and dared Ahab's many priests to an apocalyptic battle on Mt. Carmel.  When God told him to go somewhere, Elijah didn't ask questions...he just went.

But when Queen Jezebel ordered the death of the prophets and singled out Elijah for the sword, he got scared and ran into the desert.  He lost hope. He wanted God to just end him.  But God had bigger plans for Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-5).

Instead of allowing Elijah to fade away, God cares for him, first physically and then spiritually, taking him on a journey to Mt. Horeb where God shows him a remarkable display.  First in a great wind, then in an earthquake and finally in a fire.  But doesn't work in the spectacle.  He whispers to Elijah, and Elijah learns an important truth about God: in the cataclysm of giant events, God is not in them.  He works quietly, in a whisper (1 Kings 19:11-18).

As leaders in our home, community or church, we have to hold an example up to others of how we trust in God's provision. In many ways, we must continually learn the same lesson that Elijah had to learn: that God is still very much at work in our lives and in this world.  That even though the world turns on a rusty and jagged axis, we still have the charge to move forward and be the best example we can be to others. Our work matters, no matter how we view it day by day.

The world will always be corrupt and will continually get worse, but our job is to always be that light of the world.  Remember, none of the prophets, saints or apostles had it any easier.  You are simply a long line of servants who work for God day in and out, and there is value in that.  Remember, Elijah couldn't see the benefit of his ministry, bu there were many whom he affected, and there is great value in that (1 Kings 19:15-18).