Scripture Focus: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. — 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” is one of the most memorable statements in American history. President Franklin Roosevelt endured daunting hardships after being stricken with polio. Little was known about the disease when he contracted it. The mere mention of it spread panic among parents. His great courage in the face of such a burden inspired a nation ravaged by the Great Depression. As memorable and as important as those words are, Roosevelt was not the first to utter them. The Bible makes that same statement in a variety of ways more than one hundred times beginning in the Old Testament and continuing in the New. Fear is one of our most inhibiting emotions. We fear change. We fear the unknown. We fear strangers. It is a controlling factor in many lives, but it cannot survive in a life of faith. That does not mean that our faith gives us license to be reckless or fool-hearted. It does mean that we are to live with the assurance of where our strength comes from. When Carol was involved in a serious automobile accident, she said one Bible verse kept playing in her mind. “Perfect love cast out fear.” Even though the Jaws of Life were required to get her out of our mangled car, she emerged relatively unscathed.

Prayer Focus: Thank you God that your love does cast out fear. Regardless of the circumstances your love upholds us. Amen