How many times have we started something that did not go the
way we intended? How many projects have we worked on that turned out to be
unsuccessful? Did the successful ones take away our fears? Would having
children after waiting for so many years make us fearless? Has getting that
fantastic job given you joy? Has being married taken away our fears of ending
up alone? Wait a minute; your spouse could die right this second! Yes, knowing
we have money in the bank gives us a level of assurance that we might not go
hungry. The word is still ‘might’. What would happen if a natural disaster
should occur and everything is destroyed, with millions of people dead and the
whole country coming to a standstill? What would happen to all our millions in
the bank?
There is a limit to any kind of assurance in this world.
There are so many things we cannot control. We might think
we do, but the reality is that we do not. There is no assurance that as you
wake up this morning, you will still be alive in the evening. There is no
assurance that your children, that you love so much, will go on to live a happy
life. There is no assurance that, with all the money you have in the bank, you
will not develop an incurable disease. There is no assurance that you will not
be attacked today. There is no assurance that where you live will not be hit by
a massive earthquake. There is no assurance that marrying the woman or man of
your dreams will give you a long-lasting and happy married life.
There is an assurance, however, that we will all die one
day. Is that the only certain thing in life? If it is, then living a fearful
life because of worry, uncertainty and fear of the unknown would be the norm.
But I can tell you it should not be the norm. We can live a fearless life in
the face of these uncertainties and worries, a life that is focused on the One
who gave us life; the One who created this beautiful earth with everything we need
to live on it; the One who promised us fruitful, prosperous and peaceful lives
here on earth and an even better life when we leave this earth.
We can and should live a fearless life, except for the fear of
God.
(Extract from 'Living a Fearless Life' by Adeola Akintoye, available through all major online bookstores. Encourage someone this Christmas with a copy of this book.)
