The Missing Link: From Fear to CourageSample

Day 2: Comfort What if I told you that fear is one of the first human emotions we are introduced with when we enter the earth? I have had four children and when they each went from occupying space in my body to occupying space in the world, their entrance was the same. They cried. They cried because they were cold, upset, shocked, and afraid. We have all been gripped by fear in some way. Difficult health news, a late-night knock at the door, or a letter in the mail. Even as you read this, some of you may feel an extra thump in your chest or drop in your stomach. We try to convince ourselves that as Christians we shouldn't be afraid, so why are we? Let me start by telling you that this emotion finds its way into our lives without any invitation or introduction. It just says, “ I’m here, make room!” But there is a divine response that heaven gives us when we notice that fear has made its grand entrance. Yesterday we talked about a mother providing Kangaroo Care to her child. As the mother does this she is not just holding her baby in her arms for the first time. She is doing something far greater as a response to fear. She is giving the baby COMFORT. This is the missing link to us accessing the courage we should walk in as followers of Jesus. We just have to make the exchange of fear for comfort! If the very existence of life begins with the introduction of fear, then we must be intentional with a reintroduction. Let's call it, being born again. This very step allows us to be reintroduced to an alternative to what the enemy wants to present us with because of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our comforter and makes available the comfort we need to overcome fear and walk in courage. Because of the holy spirit, we can displace fear and replace it with courage. Feeling fear does not make you less qualified as a Christian nor does it mean that your faith isn’t strong enough. I believe that we feel fear because we are human beings living in a fallen world. But we have access to courage because we are in Christ. God has already qualified us, it is simply our job to receive the comfort that the holy spirit releases to us because of Jesus. Today,  I want you to consider the greatest fear you have right now and write out how you will exchange it for comfort.