Fear is a trick

The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:16

Jesus says, “Give us each day our daily bread.” Luke 11:3

REFLECTION:

I am becoming more and more convinced that fear is itself the greatest thing that fights against good.

If you want to personify evil in the image of a red man with a pitchfork, fear is his favorite tool. If you want to talk about evil as that which opposes the good, then fear is it.

Particularly today, I am thinking about fear of not having enough. That's poisonous.

When I trust that there will be enough, I am willing to share, as the widow of Zarephath was in the 1 Kings reading above. But when I am afraid there won't be enough, I circle the wagons and make sure I can control whether there is enough for me and "my" people.

On the one hand, you have read this devotion before. The line of reasoning, that we must trust God to provide, has been spoken so many times it almost becomes a cliche. But I find it to be a life attitude that greatly shapes how I experience my days. 

In the moments I live from a deep sense of trust, I feel more at peace, more secure, like I am standing on a solid foundation. That foundation allows me to live open-heartedly, looking to each new person I meet and new experience I have as the next blessing.

But, when I am afraid that there won't be enough, I close in on myself. Anxiety follows. A furrowed brow and worry follows. And I miss the blessings in those around me because I become self-focused and self-preserving. And I am not speaking metaphorically here...I have plenty of times when I am afraid, too...and I simply notice I am not at my best when I am in that place. Ironically, being afraid there isn't enough actually becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy whereby I don't live as open-heartedly, so I don't enjoy the blessings of others, so I actually am just reliant on myself. And when it's just up to me, I don't have enough.

I am reminded of the Henry Ford quote, "If you believe that you can't, or you believe that you can, you're right." I believe there is a deep truth behind this that echoes in the Biblical stories loud and clear. Said in Biblical language, God will provide. We just have to look for it, seek it, and we will find it.

Today, may you be given the power, the courage, and the trust to seek...and you will find what you need.

PRAYER:

God, help us to trust you. Help us to open ourselves to others and to today. Help us to find in the world around us, every good gift from you that we need to sustain us today. Amen.