The burden of fear

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

At one time or another, everyone is burdened with fear.  You can’t focus on what the teacher is saying because a bully is glaring at you with awful promise in his eyes.  You worry over how to pay the bills.  You live in fear that someone you love will finally wake up and realize that you are not worth wasting their affection on.  You can’t sleep at night, wondering how much time is left before death touches your life with its icy embrace.  The fear makes your life miserable.  Food doesn’t taste good anymore.  You withdraw from the people who care about you.  You get mad at yourself for being so weak and helpless.  You are burdened with fear.

When faced with something terrifying, some people run for cover.  They bury themselves in a favorite pastime to the exclusion of everything else.  They go out of their way to avoid dealing with the problem that frightens them, even going so far as to refuse to admit that there is anything wrong.  Some try to medicate the fear away through misuse of drugs or alcohol.  Others, however, put up a fight.  They might aggressively lash out at anyone they see as a threat.  Or they might simmer with rage, plotting and planning for a moment when the tables can be turned, even if it means breaking the law to find relief.  But frightening situations don’t go away just because you ignore them.  And fighting back out of fear-induced anger only makes things a bigger mess. No matter what you do, fear burdens you with its crushing weight.

Jesus said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  One of the burdens He lifts from us is the burden of fear.  There is no escape from fear until its source has been dealt with or you find a place of perfect safety.  Thankfully, the Son of God provides both.  He has defeated the Prince of Darkness and overcome the power of death; these two enemies are the masters at filling our lives with terror, and our Savior has brought them both to heel.  Our Friend from heaven also gives us security by holding us safe in His mighty arms.  Jesus fed thousands from one boy’s lunch.  Jesus ended a ferocious storm with the words Quiet! Be still! (Mark 4:39)  Jesus made blind people see, lame people walk, and cured illnesses for which no treatment existed.  He can assure that our needs are well and truly met.

You don’t have to be burdened with fear.  Christ wants you to be confident of His mighty power and loving care.  He can give your nervous heart the peaceful rest it hungers for.