Is fear of the future a sin...?

[faroukfarouk]

Strength and dignity are her garments; she smiles about the future. Proverbs 31:25

Proverbs 3.5-6 are good verses also.

 

[ToBeLoved]

I hear many people including Christians saying they are afraid of the future because of Trump, the middle east, Isis ...etc. They say that they think the world is on the wrong course, the quality of life for Westerners will decrease and they fear for the future.

BUT, as Christians, don't we have confidence that God is in control and will work all things out according to His plan? Is fearing for the future a reflection of a lack of faith concerning the power of God and His ability to control the future?

Thoughts?

This is a pretty interesting question given the times we live in.

So these are my thoughts. As far as fear for the future, I think maybe 'fear' is not the word I would use. We know that things are going to progressively get worse and we know that at some point Christians will begin to be more persecuted for their faith, so we do know in general there will be hard times ahead. However, I don't think that should lead to fear, per se because the one thing that we have on our side is God. So our faith will be what makes us able to withstand anything the world throws at us.

God's Word says that "perfect love casts out all fear", but I can pretty much say I don't think any of us are at that point yet in our walk with God. Knowing that God is in control, there are two sides to that coin. That God's Word is Truth means that all things in it will come to pass, however we know that since God is in control, even though things may get hard, that it is all part of God's plan.

One thing that helps me is that Jesus said "I am not of this world, if I were of this world, my disciples would fight to keep me in this world". God's Word says the same of us, that this world is not our home, our true home is with Christ and the Father in heaven.

So, with that said, I try not to be too attached to this world because God tells us this is not our home. Our home is when all believers and Christ will be united in love. This world as Christ says "will hate you as they have hated me".

So I think if we focus on the spiritual things. On Christ and stay strong in Him our outlook will be more like we know this world is temporary and Christ said the Father will glorify us as the Father glorified Christ.

If we do not keep our minds, faith and understanding of what is important right, It will cause fear. So we have to do our best to know what we already have in Christ and not value the things of this earth more than we should.

 

[miknik5]

I hear many people including Christians saying they are afraid of the future because of Trump, the middle east, Isis ...etc. They say that they think the world is on the wrong course, the quality of life for Westerners will decrease and they fear for the future.

BUT, as Christians, don't we have confidence that God is in control and will work all things out according to His plan? Is fearing for the future a reflection of a lack of faith concerning the power of God and His ability to control the future?

Thoughts?

Is lying a sin
Some who are Christians are afraid

It's not stopping them from asking for their daily bread, getting up and moving but it isn't a sin to come to GOD (or to other older brothers/sisters in the faith) when we are afraid


That's what the members of the body are meant to do

Exhort, encourage, strengthen, pray for

 

[miknik5]

Philippians 4 is good scripture to keep in both our heart and mind

 

[miknik5]

"Faith in the future"? What's that mean?

It means that GOD is SOVEREIGN in all seasons

 

[miknik5]

Thats understandable for christians to feel that way when life goes bad but the bible never promises a great life in this life. So I don't expect one although would like one but don't expect to live this amazing life now but when the time comes at the resurrection is when the real fun begins.

In this world you will have I trouble but I have overcome the world

And who is it that has overcome the world?

1 John 5 tells us

HE told us not to let our hearts be troubled

 

[miknik5]

We have hope but we see the enemy trying to destroy that hope. In the end God's got this.

Whoever hopes in HIM is receiving the goal of their faith

Even their salvation

Anyone who hopes in
HIM shall not be disappointed

 

[miknik5]

First of all, fear comes from the enemy, so I think Christians should not fear. Unfortunately, we do fear things, though, because even though we know God has the power to control the future, history indicates that He rarely uses that power to overcome the natural world. If He did, Christians wouldn't get fired, wouldn't get cancer, wouldn't go bankrupt, etc.

It's because God rarely breaks into the natural flow of things (which is a downhill flow since we live in a fallen world) that we expect things to happen that won't suit us, and we can therefore become fearful.

HE will. What we suffer now is nothing compared to when HE who holds all things back is taken out of the way

In all things HE told us to pray and keep praying

Like the persistent widow
Or the man who needed bread for his children

Pray and never cease from praying

 

[miknik5]

I wouldn't say "fear comes from the enemy" since fear in some ways can protect us. Like if you encountered a rabid dog, for instance.

HE also gave us the responsibility to act when it is in our ability to do so

That is to do what is right and good

Serenity prayer was a good prayer that I kept in mind

It kept me able to act in a situation and leave what I couldn't control in HIS more than capable hands

 

[miknik5]

As long as it works out in the end that's all that really matters if you think about it. This life is short. Eternity is much longer.

As long as we don't give into fear and do what is not good and what is not right

We are to guard our hearts and uphold what is right and righteous in all situations and circumstances

We are not to love to harm or deliberately look to harm

Guard your heart

 

[miknik5]

Yeah, but I'm not sure if anyone's requested the ability to talk to animals and understand them to calm them down or anything, or to teleport thecrabid animal away. That would be cool though.

The serenity prayer

At the moment though dealing with a rabid animal I can't imagine being serene

All the prayer is saying LORD wake me up!

I'm responsible to do what I am responsible to do

Anything outside of my control that's yours LORD

Help me


But you are to move and do what you are capable of doing

 

[SistrNChrist]

Thats understandable for christians to feel that way when life goes bad but the bible never promises a great life in this life. So I don't expect one although would like one but don't expect to live this amazing life now but when the time comes at the resurrection is when the real fun begins.

That's true, but there are unfortunately false teachers out there who promote the all too pervasive prosperity gospel, which basically teaches that if you do what's right, life will be all sunshine and rainbows, and I've met plenty of people who are duped by that, and therefore fall apart when the Christian life isn't like they were led to believe.

 

[ToBeLoved]

The serenity prayer

At the moment though dealing with a rabid animal I can't imagine being serene

All the prayer is saying LORD wake me up!

I'm responsible to do what I am responsible to do

Anything outside of my control that's yours LORD

Help me


But you are to move and do what you are capable of doing

So your stance then is that no Christian should have any fear at all?

We all try to put our cares on the Lord, but we are not always perfect. Are you saying that you live without any fear whatsoever?

 

[grasping the after wind]

There seems to be a bit of conflating going on here between fear and prudence. In the context o f the OP's question Fear could be more best defined as worry. Usin g caution in the face of a rabid dog or fleeing danger is not the result of fear it is prudence. Fear does not actually cause us to avoid danger. Fearing the Rhino will not make your legs move. It may make you soil yourself but prudent action is necessary to avoid the rhino not simply being afraid of it. The kind of fear the OP seems to be addressing is fear of things hat might happen not that are happening right at the moment. The biblical advice as to fearing the future is fairly obvious.

Matthew 6:25-34King James Version (KJV)
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 

[miknik5]

So your stance then is that no Christian should have any fear at all?

We all try to put our cares on the Lord, but we are not always perfect. Are you saying that you live without any fear whatsoever?

Where did you get from my post that I was fearless?

You should have been around 5 years ago

Now I have left everything with HIM and trust that HE is keeping everything that I have entrusted to HIM to the day

I don't hold things too tightly anymore and I don't worry about what will happen tomorrow

 

[miknik5]

There seems to be a bit of conflating going on here between fear and prudence. In the context o f the OP's question Fear could be more best defined as worry. Usin g caution in the face of a rabid dog or fleeing danger is not the result of fear it is prudence. Fear does not actually cause us to avoid danger. Fearing the Rhino will not make your legs move. It may make you soil yourself but prudent action is necessary to avoid the rhino not simply being afraid of it. The kind of fear the OP seems to be addressing is fear of things hat might happen not that are happening right at the moment. The biblical advice as to fearing the future is fairly obvious.

Matthew 6:25-34King James Version (KJV)
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

The evil of the day is sufficient. But HIS GRACE (daily bread) is all the more sufficient

 

[ToBeLoved]

I wouldn't say "fear comes from the enemy" since fear in some ways can protect us. Like if you encountered a rabid dog, for instance.

God's Word says perfect love casts out all fear. I don't think any of us will reach perfect love til we are with Christ. Otherwise we would be a lot better people and Christians. I think fear is perhaps the hardest thing to overcome because like you said it is in our subconcious mind to use it as a defense.