The Power of Fear (Five Minute Friday)

Fear.

My, that word is powerful, isn't it?

I'm sure you remember the horror we all felt on 9/11/01.  My family and I had been at Newark Airport two or three days before that, just watching planes take off and land.  My son was almost four at the time, and he'd never seen an airport or a plane close up.

Since we live in New Jersey, as we watched the story unfold, we were acutely aware that it wasn't far from home.  We could see the smoke from our yard.  We knew people who worked, or had worked, at the World Trade Center.  People were abuzz about attacks in other places, including Disney World, where we were scheduled to travel soon.  I was afraid and wondering whether we should go at all.

Fast forward a week or so.  Remember the anthrax attacks through the mail?  That, too, originated right here in New Jersey.  Too close to home.

Around that time people, especially the media, were also talking about bioterrorism.  Scary stuff.

I remember losing a lot of sleep, fearful about everything, but especially about the bioterrorism threat.  I remember reading that the vaccine for one particular virus was dangerous for those with eczema.  Two of the three of us are prone to eczema and therefore couldn't get the shot.  What would that mean??

My five minutes is up.  I would add that it was around this time that I came to Christ.  I think He had been working on me and making inroads, but I didn't fully accept Him until this time.  Being able to trust the Lord with my worries and fears made ... makes! ... all the difference in my life.  I'm not in control, but I know the One who is.

Usually 1 Peter 5:7 is cited when we talk about giving our anxiety to God, but I like Psalm 55:22, as well:

Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken.

photo credit: MotoGP 2012- Barry Sheene Dinner via photopin (license)