Fear is a Choice

"Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, 'Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.'" -Deuteronomy 20.8

The officers are to address the army and as they do they dismiss various soldiers. Here we see that every man who is afraid is sent home so that his fear does not spread to the others. Israel has dealt with this before, and it cost them four decades in the wilderness. To avoid this happening again while they are in the land, all those who are afraid are sent home from the battlefield. Fear spreads, and so we need to be men of courage.

There was a movie that came out earlier this year called After Earth. To be honest it wasn't one of Will Smith best films, but in it there is this quote. "Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity... Do not misunderstand me, danger is very real, but fear is a choice." God commands us not to be afraid, and therefore we are able to choose to be afraid or not. Fear is a choice. If fear was not an option, if we felt it all the time no matter what, God would not command us to "Fear not". We can choose to be afraid or not.

If we want to be part of God's army, if we want to join Him in His victory, we must choose not to fear. Danger is very real. Risks are very real, but fear is a choice. We can choose to be courageous, and stand firm against the enemy. Or we can choose to be afraid and flee. I think of Braveheart he asks the men of Scotland if they will fight, to which they say no, they'll run and live. William Wallace responds, "Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you’ll live, at least for a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom."

Men, are you choosing to be afraid? Are you choosing to run and live rather than taking the chance to fight courageously and die on the battlefield? I don't mean a physical war, but a Spiritual one. Are you willing to trust God and follow Him where He leads, or do you want to play it safe? What do you want your thoughts to be on your deathbed? As Wallace asked, would you be willing to trade all the days from now to then for one chance to join the battle again? Do you want to live a life of fear that prevents you from really living? Or will you be a man of courage who chooses to fear not?

Let us be men who stand firm. Let us face danger, and show no fear. Fear is a choice, let us choose to be courageous.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor