Fear Challenges Faith

“Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26)

These were the word of our Lord Jesus to the disciples when they were facing death… “And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep” (v. 24). What is strange is that Jesus was with them on the ship in the midst of this terrible situation, so how can they fear if He was with them?! Could the ship be destroyed while He was on it?! ... impossible. Even if He sleeps, would someone think that He does not know what befalls them? Or does He not care about what they are facing? Unfortunately, this was what they thought, and they even woke Him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” (v. 25), “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38), so He rebuked them, saying, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26), “Why you are so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).

It is impossible for the ship be sunk or those on it be destroyed while the Lord is in the midst of it ... but our faith is weakened when the mind thinks, and fear overcomes and controls the person... Hence, Christ rebuking us said, “Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25).

The Relationship of Faith with Absence of Fear

A believer is not at all troubled, anxious, or afraid because he believes in God's protection for him, and he maintains his inner peace, despite disturbing external circumstances. His belief that God is almighty and that He controls all matters of life in its diverse circumstances removes fear from within him and gives him wondrous peace. His belief that “God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved” (Psalms 46:5), makes him draw his peace from God’s work in and through him.

Behold, David the prophet explains the reason for his reassurance and lack of disturbance by saying, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalms 27:1). He does not draw his peace from the improvement of the external circumstances around him, but he draws it from God’s work through him, so he says: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me” (Psalms 23:4).

If faith is diminished, a person’s fear is increased ... Peter, through his faith, was able to walk with the Lord over the violent moving water, but when he used his mind and became busy with thought about the possibility of achieving that which is against the laws of nature, he began to fear, doubt, and worry about his life, and he began to drown because he became busy and ignored the Creator of the laws of nature, in whose hands our life exists... Here, the Lord of nature rebukes him, saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Here the relationship between fear, doubt, and lack of faith is clear to us ... doubt weakens faith, and a weak faith creates fear, and fear leads to fall.

This is also what happened with the disciples when the waves and the storm that put their lives in danger became stronger ... seeing the waves come towards them, filling the ship with water, while Christ was sleeping on it, with their utter failure to control the situation so as not to perish, made them doubt the Lord’s care for them, thus doubt weakened their faith, and they were afraid. Faith destroys fear and doubt, just as fear and doubt destroy faith.

Faith and Mind

Faith is not just embracing a group of beliefs; it is a life we live or a doctrine that leads to life. What is the benefit of believing in God without having a relationship with this God, in which we obey and love Him?! What is the benefit of believing in the Day of Judgment and life after death forever without observing repentance and spiritual struggle?! Superficial faith does not save the soul, whereas practical faith shows its fruits in our lives (James 2:20), and thus, we live in faith: “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38).

Faith does not contradict the mind, but exceeds it beyond considerable measurements by which the mind alone cannot reach it. Therefore, the mind deals with what is perceived, while faith deals with what is incomprehensible since its source is God, the incomprehensible. Also, the mind does not comprehend everything, yet accepts it since it is in our nature not to reject what we can’t perceive. We deal with many inventions without our mind recognizing how we use them or how they work.

Believers use the mind and respect its potential in matters of their lives, but also in religious and theological matters; some of them are philosophers, scholars and theologians ... but they nevertheless do not mingle the mind with arrogance, and do not trust the ability of the mind to perceive everything because a person is “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (Romans 12:3). In simplicity and humility, they admit that their minds are limited and restricted to understanding everything that pertains to the incomprehensible God, and His wisdom in the plan for everything. In dealing with faith, they accept that which exceeds the mind with the heart and spirit,

“O Lord, Increase our Faith”

Faith, like all other virtues, can increase and decrease, strengthen and weaken; our role is not only to preserve faith and be steadfast in it (Cor 1:23; 1 Pet 5:9, 2 Tit 4:7-8), but rather to do all that will increases and strengthens it (2 Th 1:3; 2 Cor 8:8), especially when we now face severe challenges against faith, and these challenges will increase day after day as long as we are approaching the end. What we are going through today of wars, epidemics, famines and natural disasters, the Lord Jesus prophesied of and informed us about before they occurred (Matthew 24:6-8). These are not strange to our ears, and they are challenges against our steadfastness in faith until we turn to God with full confidence and faith in His love and infinite power: “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalms 46:1, 2).

Unfortunately, many people stumble because of these pains, and because many sins freeze many people’s love towards God, as to destroy faith in God and His existence, and doubting His love that may allow this: “many will be offended…. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:10,12,13). So, the Lord warns us by saying, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8), but, out of His love and compassion to us, He shortens those days: “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:22). Who among us today does not complain about the day being short and not enough to finish our daily tasks?!

If we look at the circumstances we are living now, we will be terrified and panic and if we consider our weak capabilities, we will be frustrated and hopeless. If we look at all those around us seeking help, we would be in shock at the lack of support and help, but if we direct ourselves to above, to the loving heavenly Father, we will find joy and peace, we will find hope and comfort, and we will find blessing and solutions that surpass the mind and are unthinkable. For He is the God of impossible things: “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

If we consider the children of Israel with the Red Sea in front of them, and Pharaoh and his armies behind them, it is clear that this is a situation in which they cannot come out alive, yet Moses called them to look to God, saying, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord…. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14:13,14)
If the boy David looked at the terrifying man of war, Goliath, he would have been hopeless and terrified just as Saul and his army were very scared of him (1 Samuel 18:11), but by faith he looked to God who would hold him in His hand, saying, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (v. 36). He even said to Goliath, who mocked him: “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you” (v. 45, 46)
When the Disciples looked at the few loaves of bread and fish, and the thousands waiting for what they would eat, they gave up because they lacked options, saying, “What are they among so many?” (John 6:9), but when they put the little they had in the hands of Christ, He looked up and blessed, so they ate and were satisfied, and there were leftovers
When Martha looked at the tomb of her dead brother of four days, she said desperately, “there is a stench,” but the Lord said to her: “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:39, 40)

Perhaps what strengthens and increases our faith is our confidence in the divine promises that will be taken away (Luke 21:33). These promises clarify to us always that God is a loving Father and Maker of good things at all times, and He is All-Wise, Almighty and nothing is difficult for Him. He does not change His promise, nor does He break His covenant, as He says: “My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips” (Psalms 89:34). He also hasn’t failed nor did He not fulfill any of His promises throughout the ages, as Joshua testifies for Him, saying: “And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed” (Joshua 23:14). Perhaps these difficult days will cause us to turn to out loving Father to ask Him to fulfill his promises to us:

He promised us eternal love, and ever-lasting mercy: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3)
He promised us with continuous care of us: “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30)
He promised to keep us safe from every evil: "The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore” (Psalms 121:7,8)
He promised to be with us always and never abandon us: “lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20)
He promised us to share in our emotions, and to send heavenly help: “In all their affliction He was afflicted,
And the Angel of His Presence saved them” (Isaiah 63:9), “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them” (Psalms 34:7)
He promised us to respond to our prayers that we may gain perfect joy: “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24), “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24)
God promised to protect us from every trouble and danger: “Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling” (Psalms 91:10)
He promised comfort when we are distressed: “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul” (Psalms 94:19)
He promised eternal life in His kingdom: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32)
He promised us the crown of life: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12), “when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10)
All in all, He says: “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation” (Psalms 91:14-16)

What about the dangerous epidemic that is sweeping the world today without prevention or treatment? ... believe that “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence…. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you” (Psalms 91:3-7). In faith, we will see that “Before Him went pestilence, And fever followed at His feet” (Habakkuk 3:5).