"God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast and when I run, I feel his pleasure."
Reasons not to fear
Do not fear I will help you. Isaiah 41:13Fear is part of the human experience. We are afraid of situations we find ourselves in. We wish we did not have to face them.
Last year before I had my hip replacement, I was afraid. Rational thinking would have told me that I had a very competent surgeon, that I would be in an excellent modern hospital and that 95% of hip replacements are successful – and the other 5% don’t usually die! But it was a new experience for me and I was afraid of the unknown.
In sport we can fear injury. We can fear not being able to perform to our potential on the big day. We can fear not being able to live up to everyone else’s expectations of us. In the Film Chariots of Fire, Harold Abrahams who has sacrificed everything to win the 100 metres in the 1924 Olympic final confesses to a friend: “I've known the fear of losing but now I am almost too frightened to win”. [There was a happy ending – Abrahams did win.]
Gordon Cooke writing on this passage said that there is nothing more reassuring for an anxious child than to take the hand of an adult they trust. As we get older we ask if the “adult” is worthy of our trust and is actually able to help with what we fear.
God offers to help with our fear but can we believe him? Three times in the chapter God says, “Do not fear” and gives a reason.
1 Do not fear…I am your God, I will strengthen you (v10)
2 Do not fear…I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand (v13)
3 Do not fear…I, your redeemer, will help you (v14)
Next time you feel afraid imagine God holding your hand saying “Don’t be afraid, I will help you, I will strengthen you.