Faith vs. Fear

Today I read Exodus 6 where Moses is doubting his ability to accomplish the goal that God has set for him. I remember once having a conversation with my family about how fear is the enemy of faith. At the time my sister was arguing that fear was the opposite of faith because if you have faith then you won't have fear. I disagreed with her because I argued that you can have faith and still have fear. But what I didn't understand at the time is that perfect faith casts out fear.

The problem though I have found, is it is very challenging and difficult for people to have perfect faith. We are mortal and fallible. We make mistakes and we can't always be trusted. This is doubly so if we are faced with a challenge that has happened before. If we have tried something before and it failed, most of us are very hesitant to try it again. Even as toddlers we learn this. If you tried walking down the stairs without help, you are going to be extremely wary from that point on for years to come. I once spun out on a freeway in the rain going around a very sharp curve. It turned out fine and it was over 7 years ago, but to this day if I'm driving and it's raining and I have to take a sharp curve, that memory flashes through my mind and I am very nervous about it and careful with that curve. I can only imagine how fearful Moses must have been at having to go back in front of Pharaoh. The thoughts that were going through his head, he was probably terrified that he was going to make the lot of the Israelites even worse.

But despite his fears, Moses trusted in God and went back before the Pharaoh. Despite his fears and reservations, he trusted in God to make up the difference in himself and provide for what he lacked. That is what faith can do for us. If we are willing to trust God that everything that He sends our way in the form of a challenge, that He will also help us overcome it, then we don't need to let fear paralyze us. We can rely on Him and trust that He will not leave us alone and helpless. Moses found that out for himself. We can all find out too if we take the time to put it to the test. We will not be disappointed. Until tomorrow.