Faith Over Fearনমুনা

Joseph was a believer in the God of Israel. A believer who would have likely known the law deeply, certainly well enough to understand the significance of the news he had received. Mary was pregnant. And while they were committed to be married, they were not married yet. At that time, for a woman to be found pregnant before marriage, the law prescribed death by stoning. Joseph knew these were the consequences.

Fear overcame Joseph, if only for a moment. He decided, perhaps afraid of judgement, disappointment or disgrace, to divorce Mary quietly. But a messenger of the Lord intervened.

Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher, suggested that morality, as a set of rules and norms, often arises from a need to control behaviour and avoid negative consequences. However, for those who know God, morality comes from our experience of him and receiving his unearned gifts.

Martin Luther King famously said: ‘Courage is the power of the mind to overcome fear.’ Yes, absolutely, but where does this courage come from? For those who know and experience the sacrificial love of God, our courage comes from him. Joseph believed that what was revealed to him in a dream was true, that the baby gifted to Mary through the Holy Spirit was the Son of God. Armed with this belief, Joseph found courage in faith to overcome fear.

God is always seeking to strengthen and encourage his people in the face of opposition and trials. His words are our source of hope and strength. When Joseph obeyed God, his fears faded. When we act on our belief, with faith in the God who can help us overcome, fear loses its grip on us.

As we celebrate this Christmas season, may the Lord help each one of us to conquer our fears through our faith in Jesus, the Saviour.

How do you respond to challenging situations in life? Do you let fear dictate your actions, or do you seek guidance and strength from your faith? What do you need to seek God’s courage to overcome today?

Oh Lord, I have faith in you for the challenges I face in my life which make me fearful. May you help me to conquer and overcome my fear through faith in you. Amen.