Different Words Can Help Us See Things More Accurately

Daily writing promptWhat’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?View all responses

The thoughts and words
That you think and say
Will either lift your up
Or they will weigh
You down.

In the NIV version of the English Bible the translators quote Jesus as saying: “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.” (Mark 5:36) We’ve all have had a lot of people tell us to not be afraid and to exhort us to believe. But how do we do it?

It helps me if I say the same thing in different words. I prefer to say: “Ignore fear. Rely on Jesus.”

“Don’t be afraid,” tells me that I have to shut down or turn off fear. That’s very hard to do. For me it’s much easier to ignore fear’s tormenting noise — to act like it doesn’t exist — than it is to completely eliminate all my fear. Boldly quoting peace and hope filled Scriptures — in my mind and/or with my voice — helps me refuse to think about fear.

“Just believe,” tells me that belief is simple and I should be able to easily do it. However, in real life I’ve never found that to be the case. Belief for me is complicated and difficult. It’s much more than just making a verbal or written “confession of faith.” It easy to say I believe yet often it’s far more difficult than I can express with words to truly, totally, and sincerely believe.

“Just believe,” tells me that belief is an easy action. It’s something that I should just do and get it over with. But belief isn’t a one-step deal. It’s a lifetime process. Belief isn’t just the verbal acknowledgement of some claims or principles. Genuine faith is to rely and depend on those claims or principles, moment by moment, in your daily life.

You can simplify your life and amplify your faith right now. Ignore fear by constantly thinking about and celebrating how God is working all things together for your good. (Romans 8:28) Rely on the living Jesus by laying aside your own self-focused efforts. Begin to listen to and be directly and literally led from within, throughout each day, by the person of God the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14) — “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)