Fear: The Enemy I Battle
Are you ever afraid? For the last couple of months fear is an enemy I have constantly battled. Fear is one of the most debilitating emotions we face. Last week our son called to say his company was going out on a mission. He stated that he would not be able to call for several days. We calculated when we thought the next phone call might come. As that anticipated time passed and turned into a couple of days, an uneasy feeling began to well up inside of us. I’ll just have to confess we were afraid something had gone wrong. I received a phone call from a new friend in a mid-western state and he asked had I heard about the casualties? I had not. I immediately got on the internet and found the report of two young Marines killed in Iraq. They were in our son’s battalion. The question looming on my mind, was it his company or another company? Was it in his area of operation or some distance away?
I’ll be honest, fear has a way of doing a number on you. But that’s to be expected. On Saturday I told my wife I was going out to cut the grass. In reality the grass didn’t need cutting as much as I needed to cut the grass. While riding that lawnmower, even over the roar of the engine, I heard the still small voice of God say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” I felt pretty weak at that time. Then I realized that with fear our options are limited. We can panic, we can be paralyzed or we can pray. We continue to choose the third option. I realized (once again) on that lawnmower, there’s no panic in heaven, only plans. I cannot afford to be paralyzed so I must pray!
Finally the long awaited call came as I was walking out the hospital Monday morning after visiting a church member. It was our son and he was well. Unfortunately, the two Marines who died as a result of an I.E.D. (Improvised Explosive Device) as it detonated under their vehicle were in our son’s company and they were several hundred yards in front of our son. The face of Satanic evil has again shown itself to be real. We mourn the loss of these two young heroes and ask God to bless their families!
Once again that still small voice of God reminded me, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
What is the opposite of fear? You guessed it ... FAITH! Yes, the promises of our God are sufficient in our times of need.
Semper Fi!
I’ll be honest, fear has a way of doing a number on you. But that’s to be expected. On Saturday I told my wife I was going out to cut the grass. In reality the grass didn’t need cutting as much as I needed to cut the grass. While riding that lawnmower, even over the roar of the engine, I heard the still small voice of God say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” I felt pretty weak at that time. Then I realized that with fear our options are limited. We can panic, we can be paralyzed or we can pray. We continue to choose the third option. I realized (once again) on that lawnmower, there’s no panic in heaven, only plans. I cannot afford to be paralyzed so I must pray!
Finally the long awaited call came as I was walking out the hospital Monday morning after visiting a church member. It was our son and he was well. Unfortunately, the two Marines who died as a result of an I.E.D. (Improvised Explosive Device) as it detonated under their vehicle were in our son’s company and they were several hundred yards in front of our son. The face of Satanic evil has again shown itself to be real. We mourn the loss of these two young heroes and ask God to bless their families!
Once again that still small voice of God reminded me, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
What is the opposite of fear? You guessed it ... FAITH! Yes, the promises of our God are sufficient in our times of need.
Semper Fi!
2 Comments:
God Bless your son and his comrades. We pray for them daily.
Thank you for sharing your feelings. It helps my wife and me in dealing with our own. I could not possibly improve upon the eloquence of his former babysitter in stating just how much I respect your son for what he is doing and enduring for his country. He is protecting us all.
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