March 26, 2017

Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: Fear Depicted

The depiction of fear in art takes different forms: rational, irrational, minimized, and exaggerated. The artist can tap into the deepest & darkest fears that plague humanity causing great anxiety in the viewer.  They can also take a humorous approach that mocks seemingly irrational fears.  Either way the artist connects with viewer through the shared human experience of fear.  Art inspired by this theme can often evoke uneasy/uncomfortable feelings, and the viewers will not tend to linger .  Most do not want to be confronted with their fears because they believe it reveals a weakness, deficiency, or personal issue.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27

What fear(s) do you have? Are they founded in something that has happened to you in the past?  Do your fears have to deal with something you are presently going through?  Maybe your fears have to do with the future?  Though some fears can seem completely unfounded. Everyone has a "fear" of something.  The thing is...how do you handle your fears?  What we see in John 14:27 is Jesus promising a peace that this world can not provide.  How many times do we try to "resolve/solve" our fears through our own power and/or how the world tells us we should?  Jesus is not telling us we will not have problems.  Jesus is not telling us we will never have reason to be afraid.  He is telling us he offers peace in this midst of our trials & tribulations, and that we do not HAVE to be afraid.  The Holy Spirit gives us the power to not crumble under the weight of our struggles.  When fear comes upon us, we find strength in the Lord & his Truth.  Fear tells us lies. The Word of God & the Holy Spirit tell us truth.  When we succumb to fears, we are believing lies.  There is no peace in that.  Truth brings peace to our hearts & minds, and allows us to get through those times when fear would like to get the best of us.

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