I've been thinking a lot about fear lately and how crippling it can be to our day to day lives. But then I recall some comforting words from our sweet God...
1 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
If there is one thing I've learned from witnessing any kind of tragedy--whether it be poverty, murders, illness, death, homelessness, or a loss of any kind--, it is this:
God is not the author of heartache. He has not called us to be inactive, nor has He called us to constantly mourn. We are called to be His hands and feet, while walking in HIS light.
I believe there are times to be still and there are times to act. I don't believe we are meant to be sad all the time, but rather to be thankful and blessed by doing what little we can to help while depending on His goodness.
We are also reminded by the apostle Paul (who, by the way, persecuted, mocked, and killed Christians before knowing Jesus) in Romans 8: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" ... "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." So that means no matter what happens, no matter where we are, we are "more than conquerors" because God turns everything--even suffering and death--into good.
We can never be lost to His Love.
