A Culture Of Fear

The other day as I was driving and listening to the radio it occurred to me that today the greatest commodity that has escaped a down economy and has not lost a beat on Wall Street or Main Street is …FEAR.

Our society today is living in a culture of fear that permeates every fiber of the people that we see daily. If we are not cautious it can dominate the Body of Christ as well.

If you pick up any dictionary you would probably find something like this as a definition for fear:

Fear- “a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined.”

This latest political tsunami titled the “Stimulus Bill” was based in and motivated by fear (and greed). The majority of the Headlines read like a horror novel stating: “If we do not pass this bill it will spell impending doom for all”.

But, this is not just a problem in the political playground it is evident in the realm of relationships and the courtyard of the Church.

It could be fear of; failure, rejection, poverty, abandonment, being inferior, not mattering, being unforgiven, being alone, death, punishment and the list goes on and on and on and on!

People are living FEAR-FULL everyday and what is happening is that they are becoming HOPE-LESS with each waking moment.

I recently heard the best explanation of hope “The expectation of something good” and any area in my life that is HOPE-LESS is an area where a lie is present and active.

The most incredible truth about Fear is that because of the Father’s Outrageous Love we do not have to live FEAR-FULL! We can live full of His love. His pure and perfect love will (if you allow it) displace every ounce of fear that fills your heart.