Fear That Paralyzes Faith

“Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)

This is the question that Jesus asked of the disciples. Their boat was filling with water as the strong winds tossed their boat about and they cried out to Jesus, “Do you not care that we are perishing?”

Fear is a painful emotion caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.

I am recovering from back surgery and two weeks post-op I had a new symptom which puzzled me and later made me afraid. My left knee suddenly began to give out on me and I was unable to lift my leg because of weakness.

Later when I was feeling better and going to church or shopping I was still having problems walking in a straight line, even falling once when I stepped off a curb. I clung to my husband when we were out, because I was afraid that I would fall again if I walked alone.

The doctor seemed to think that it was normal and would get better if I walked, so I began walking on my treadmill every night. I kept praying for complete healing and strength and so many dear friends were also praying for me.

I was still afraid. What if I would always have trouble walking and lifting my leg to get into the car? What if I fell again, getting hurt and making matters even worse?

As I was praying a couple of weeks ago, asking God again to restore my health, I realized that fear was paralyzing my faith. As long as I was afraid I could not believe.

The Holy Spirit gently prompted me to begin praying for deliverance from fear. I did and I began to feel my faith restored. Soon I was feeling so much better and walking without fear. Jesus is my healer and I am gaining strength every day.

Jesus is my healer, but I believe that if I had continued to live in fear I would not have received my healing.

Despair is much like fear. Despair means to be hopeless; to give up all hope or expectation. Despair is probably the most dangerous, most difficult emotion to deal with that haunts hurting Christian parents who are praying for their wayward kids.

What happens when we pray for a son or daughter and God doesn’t act? What do we do when there is no miracle?

If we surrender to our feelings of disappointment with God, we begin to doubt everything but our worries and our hopelessness. Before long, we fall victim to despair. We will be praying only out of desperation and fear, not faith.

Jesus is asking us the same question today, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
(2 Timothy 1:7)

Let us be like David who said, “I sought the Lord, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)

Love and Prayers,
Carolyn