Fear and Faith

Author Robert Wilson wrote an article in Psychology Today called The Main Ingredient. In the article, Wilson discusses the idea that there's a relationship between power and fear. The correlation that he proposes is this: the more people are afraid, the more they try to gain power. The motivation for power is a desire to control our environment, so when we try to gain power or exert power, we are trying to control a situation ourselves.

Mr. Wilson's article was not written from a Christian perspective. It was written from a more sociological perspective, but I think there is some truth for believers in his statements.

For believers, God has all the power and control. Being a Christian is about submitting ourselves to God, giving up our own lives, and living under the power of God. Any of our attempts to control things ourselves are futile and pointless. As the psalmist said, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers build in vain.” Unless God is behind what we are doing, then we have no control or chance to succeed. The opposite of us giving up that power is fear. Just as Wilson discusses in his article, the fear that drives the desire for power and control is a lack of faith on our part. If we are afraid, we don't have faith in God's control. If our fear drives us to want power to control, then we are putting more faith in our selves than in God.

Nobel prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi (san sue key) wrote “It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.” Those who follow Jesus give up their desires for the power and control and fear that corrupt. Instead, they submit their own power to God.

In chapter 4, Mark tells a story that develops this connection between fear and faith.  The event occurs as Jesus and his disciples are going across the sea.

Jesus tells his disciples that its time for them to cross the sea, so they get Jesus into the boat and they are followed by several other boats.  Then the storm comes up. And this was a powerful storm.  Mark gives us details to reinforce that we know how powerful this storm was: “Great windstorm... beat the boat... boat was swamped.” The repetition of the description of the storm by mark is meant to emphasize its strength.  This was not a small storm, it was very strong.  The storm was so great that experienced sailors and fishermen thought they were going to die.

This was not the disciples first time in a boat, and most likely not their first time in a storm. Some of these men were experienced fishermen.  These men had probably spent a lot of time on boats, but this storm had them worried for their lives.  Yet Jesus slept through such a powerful storm. He had no fear.  How was Jesus able to sleep through a storm? I know that if a storm comes up during the night at my house, the rain or the lightning is probably going to wake me up.  But Jesus sleeps right in the middle of it. How was he not afraid? I'm not sure but maybe its because...

-Jesus knew that his time had not come, so he was not afraid of death.

-Jesus knew that he had power over nature.

What we know is that Jesus had enough faith that he was not afraid of the storms power to harm him.  Jesus then gets up and stills the storm.

One command from Jesus and everything immediately gets calm.  Jesus goes on to point out to the disciples that the reason they were afraid is that they have no faith.

In his questions, Jesus makes the connection between fear and faith. If the disciples had more faith, they would not have been afraid. Their fear is what reveals their lack of faith.

The shocking part of the story to me is that Jesus saves them and they are still afraid. They were afraid before when the storm was going on, but Mark says they were afraid after Jesus saves them. They've just come through this terrible, life-threatening storm, but they have someone on the boat who was capable to save them. You might think that it would be a cause for celebrating, the disciple would begin hugging and singing. Or that Jesus stopping the storm would be a cause for worship. But the gospel doesn't record them doing any of these things. They were afraid.

And this is not the first time that the disciples have witnessed Jesus do something miraculous. Just in the Gospel of Mark, since he called the disciples, Jesus has cast out a demon, healed Peter's mother-in-law, healed a whole town, healed a leper, healed a paralytic, and healed a withered hand. Something miraculous from Jesus should not be shocking.

But what we read is that the disciples are still afraid.

Not only are they afraid, they are no longer sure who Jesus is. They wonder “who is this man?” The identity of Jesus is a mystery to them.

Fear has no place in the life of a person of faith. Jesus makes this clear when he asks the disciples “Why are you afraid? Do you have no faith?” Rodney Plunkett has said many times in his sermons, “The opposite of faith is not doubt. The opposite of faith is fear.”

The more we believe that God is absolutely capable and qualified to manage his creation and to act in the best interest of His people, then the less we will have fear. The greater our faith, the less our fear. In his commentary on Mark, Alan Cole emphasizes this idea when he says: “Faith and fear are mutually exclusive in the Bible... No command is more often reiterated in the Bible than 'Do not fear.'” Fear keeps us from acting in faith and believing that we serve a God who takes care of us for his own glory.

There is a connection between understanding who Jesus is and faith. Its no coincidence that the disciple are lacking in faith AND they don't understand who Jesus is. If they had understood more, they would have trusted more and feared less. A correct understanding of God gives us a sense of the holy, a sense of reverence, but not a sense of fear. The disciples seem to have no idea about the identity of Jesus. They don't recognize the nature of God in the one they are following. If they had recognized the presence of God with them, they would have trusted in the goodness of God to care for them. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (I John 4:18)

Apsu and Tiamat are fresh water and ocean water gods of Babylon. In the Enuma Elish story, their actions are full of conflict and chaos. One of the lesser gods is given wind to play with, so he creates storms and tornados. Contrast that with the one true God, who rules over creation, who reigns the power of nature in, all to protect his people.

As powerful as this storm was, the power of Jesus was much more powerful. The power of Mt St. Helens is no match for the power of God. As we trust in that power to act in goodness, we have less fear and more faith.