Discipleship Network Forum

A great deal of the sin in our lives is little more than a lame attempt to protect ourselves from the possibility of being sinned against. Whether it’s a preemptive strike or a full-scale retreat, we’ll do just about anything to avoid the hard work of loving others. But the way to God is through loving others. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:18). We long to be perfect, but God’s perfect work in us cannot be completed without a willingness to expose ourselves fully to the people and situations God has placed before us.

Even the difficult matters in our lives are signs of God’s love for us. When we can place ourselves before those circumstances, neither shrinking back not attacking, the perfect love of God can be fully manifested in us.

Almost all of us struggle with fear, whether we show it or not. No less a man than Timothy—who helped Paul write the books of 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon—clearly struggled with fear throughout much of his ministry. Consider the advice from Paul, near the end of his life and while in prison, to the man who by this time had become bishop of Ephesus:

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.  Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you (2 Timothy 1:5–14, emphasis mine).

What’s Paul remedy to fear, then? Several exhortations come up here:

• Remember your faith, and who you are in Jesus (v.5).
• Take the spark God’s given you, and fan it into a flame (v.6).
• Exert the “power of love and self-control” you’ve already received (v.7).
• Be willing to take some heat for the gospel you believe (v.8).
• Remember that Christ conquered death—what more is there to fear (v.10)?
• Accept suffering as part of the package of both sanctification, and of life itself, and realize that even in those times God’s protection remains upon you (v.12).
• Do what you know to be true and right. Obey God, faithfully and in love (v.13).
• Through the Holy Spirit, guard what God’s already given you (v.14).

Which of these is at the top of your list right now? In what ways can you step out of fear and into “life and immortality to light through the gospel”? Eternal life begins now. So lay down your fear, and step boldly into the light.

Lay It Down Today

If you can’t do this final activity immediately, do it in the next twenty-four hours: Read Paul’s two letters to Timothy in one sitting. They’re ten fairly modest chapters (less than two hundred verses total), but chock full of fatherly advice and en-courage-ment to a son in the faith. As you read, put yourself in Timothy’s place, reading these personal letters from a spiritual father he might never see again in the flesh. Think of these letters as a mentor writing to you, sharing his life experience while he still has the opportunity. Feel the immediacy.

After reading, ask God to show you how to act upon what you’ve just read. Which of Paul’s words struck you hardest, and why? What does God want to do with that? Spend time praying through that, “pushing” God for an answer. Don’t stop until you’re satisfied you’ve laid all out your fears, anxieties, and concerns before God. Then let him go to work, and watch what happens.

If you were given the choice between being liked or being respected by people, which one would you choose? Of course, the clever answer is to say we want BOTH. We want people to like us and respect us too.

But what if I told you it’s not always possible to be both liked and respected? And what if I pointed out that, too often, we tend to do things in order to be liked, even if those things cause us to lose people’s respect.

For example, it’s understandable if you want your kids to like you. But it’s far more important to do what it takes to gain their respect. Insecure parents often try to “buy” the affection of their kids, but that approach always backfires in the end.

Insecure bosses try to be the life of the party and everybody’s pal, even though sometimes a good boss has to hurt people’s feelings and make decisions that are unpopular.

Many of the Bible’s greatest leaders were highly unpopular at times. Moses faced major rebellions, Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern, and the crowd told Pilate to crucify Jesus, the Son of God.

Nevertheless, most of us are people-pleasers at heart. That’s why it’s so hard to be a good leader, or even a good disciple of Jesus.

Paul explained it this way: “Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

Paul understood that at times we all come to the uncomfortable place where we must choose: Will we seek people’s favor or God’s favor? Will we be authentic servants of Christ or mere people-pleasers?

A quote attributed to Ed Sheeran says, “I can’t tell you the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.” Well said.

I hope you are a person who is both likeable and respectable. But if you have to choose, I encourage you to do the right thing, even if it’s not the popular thing. Put respect above likeability. You’ll be glad you did.

It seems most of us Christians in the United States today have become like domesticated lions. While we’re called to be kings of the jungle—ruling and reigning with Christ (Romans 5:17)—we’ve allowed ourselves to become tame and housebroken. Instead of being predators, striking terror in the princes of darkness, we’ve become mere pussy cats, a threat to no one.

Is anyone afraid of the church in America today? Does the devil quake when the saints of God gather? Are those who pollute our society with moral filth concerned about a holy uprising of the Lord’s people in response?

And what about the TV preachers who happily go on secular talk shows to promote their books—yet refuse to take a stand on the moral issues of our day? Rather than represent the true Prince of Peace—the One who angrily cast moneychangers out of the temple—many have become mere pacifists, opting for peace at any price. Instead of challenging the world, we’ve taken the easy road and accommodated the world.

Abraham’s nephew Lot became a domesticated lion. He thought he had it made when Abraham told him he could choose the most lucrative place to live. But he became soft…spiritually dull…compromised. It’s not easy to maintain your spiritual edge when you’re living in the lap of luxury.

Yet Lot seemed to think all was well until two angels of the Lord came to visit him one evening (Genesis 19). After all, he was on good terms with the wicked inhabitants of Sodom—or so he thought.

How tragic. But we who are domesticated lions have taken a similar path. Just as Lot thought he could placate the men of Sodom, we smugly think the world actually accepts us. Lot found out too late that the people of Sodom were never fooled by his compromised life.

We who seek to follow Jesus need to remember how He prayed to the Father for us: “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14).  

We all want to be liked and accepted, don’t we? That’s human nature. But sometimes the call to follow Christ will put us at odds with the world. What will we do then? Will we allow the world to emasculate us and turn us into kittens instead of lions? Or will be willing to die to ourselves and let the Lion of the tribe of Judah rise up big within us?

God wants to replace our pitiful meows with the ROAR of champions again. Are you ready?