By Archie Wilson
Almost one year ago to the day, I sat at my computer and typed an article entitled “The Spirit of Fear.” Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Apostle Paul sat in a Roman prison and penned the following words:
2 Timothy 1:7 KJV
(7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Our original article dealt with the context from which Paul formed the basis for his instructions to his beloved son Timothy, begotten by the gospel in Christ Jesus. (see 2 Timothy 1:2 and 1 Corinthians 4:15) One year later the spirit of fear is once again running rampant, not just in our little community, or in America, but worldwide, because of a virus we can’t see, that is labeled COVID-19. Some people believe this is an Armageddon virus, some think it is a total hoax, while most think it is something in between. All three views have one thing in common, most people are afraid. Like many other history buffs, I can’t help but think of the immortal words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
President Roosevelt spoke these words at his inauguration during the midst of the Great Depression. Yet Roosevelt’s words are not entirely his own. With careful study you will find similar words attributed to the American writer, poet and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau’s philosophy was transcendentalism, which arose in direct opposition to intellectualism and spiritualism. It also has underpinnings associated with romanticism. Now don’t stop reading because I am talking about philosophy, I promise we are almost done with that. I only mention the idea, because our philosophy determines how we deal with fear.
All philosophies are connected in one way or another and all have their beginning the moment mankind became a living soul and began to think for himself.
“Cogito, ergo sum” Rene’ Descartes, which translates, “I think therefore I am.” So the point is, our philosophies determine how we deal with fear. You have a philosophy, even if you do not admit it or cannot label it. What we think determines our philosophy and it manifest itself in how we react or what we do in response to any crisis.
Are you trusting in the governments of this world to calm our fears? Guess what? No can do! Are you trusting in self to calm our fears? Guess what? No can do! Are you trusting in some manmade device, like a mask or respirator or perhaps even toilet paper to calm our fears? Guess what? No can do!
Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.