Can we ever be afraid?

[The Simple Plan]

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28

Now I have been held with knife to my neck and had money stolen from me. I have had a loaded gun held to my head by a crack addict I was mentoring. I have also had to run from my life from thugs who threatened "to beat the black off me". I shared this testimony sometime back with some friends in a youth group.

Since then however I have got to thinking. When God says that he has not "given us the spirit of fear", and when he comforts us and says "Fear Not" or "Do not be afraid", I am concluding that he is not denying that we will sometimes be afraid, but moreso to actually take comfort more in him than let the fear overcome you. Fear in small doses actually makes us fight or flee in a situation that can affect us or our families, e.g mad dog barks and runs toward you, fear makes you find the nearest tree to climb!!

Some Christians beg to differ and believe that fear in any shape or from is a sin. That we should have more resolve. But isn't Christ teaching that we should not let fear overcome us when we have hope in him rather than the extreme that we should never be afraid at all? And if we should never be afraid what does the text at the top mean?

I have my ideas but in this fellowship forum I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

God bless
Dave


 

 

[LifeInYou]

I agree with you Dave, it's human to fear, just as it is human to sin. We shouldn't get so afraid of something that it overcomes our life, way before that takes place we should have given our fear to God.

 

[*Drops~Of~Jupiter*]

I believe that fear is human also. I don't think that it is a sin, but like LifeInYou said, we should take our fears to God before it gets out of hand.

 

[reeann]

Amen Drops. Even Jesus experienced the human emotion in the Garden of Gethsemane (sp?). He certainly was perfect and wanted God's will but he was sweating blood over the whole ordeal. Jesus experienced our feelings and understands what we go through

 

[Evening Mist]

I think when God tells us not to be afraid, he is encouraging and comforting us. Not condemning us for our feelings.