Towards the end of what proved to be the most challenging year of my life, I came upon a book that proved to be a true Godsend. Fearless by Max Lucado sets forth a compelling case for why the book’s subtitle, “Imagine Your Life Without Fear”, is not only possible, but completely rational given the overwhelming evidence to support such imaginings. However, to get there from here, the reader must bring an open heart, mind and Bible to the journey. According to Lucado, truly fearless living is only possible by believing in and acting upon time-tested scriptures that have proven to be the ultimate fear antidote. I personally appreciate the fact that he’s not just making this stuff up.
Starting with a solid Biblical foundation, Lucado supports his fearless living premise with poignant personal stories of fear conquered in and around his own life. From his brother’s final act of courageous love to his own near death experience to his humble admission of personal God doubting moments, Lucado takes the reader on a spine tingling (how did he know?) fear conquering adventure. Fearless could have been alternatively entitled, “The Little Christian That Could”, for I found myself going from “I know I can’t” to “I think I can” to “I know I can”, as the author skillfully guided me away from fearful thoughts and towards imagining my life without fear.
In Fearless, Lucado takes on the most fear-inducing issues of our day. Who among us hasn’t been plagued by the fear of not mattering? Recent economic woes have spared few Americans the fear of running out. Any parents out there not haunted by the fear of not protecting my kids? The chapter on the fear of overwhelming challenges was surely written just for me. It opens with a rock solid scriptural mandate that I’d love to tattoo upon my fear prone heart:
“Take courage. I am here!” (Matthew 14:27)
These words were spoken by Jesus to his disciples who thought they were seeing a ghost, as He came towards their boat in the midst of a powerful storm…walking on the water, of course. Lucado says, “we never expect to see him (God) in a storm. But it is in storms that he does his finest work, for it is in storms that he has our keenest attention”. This begs a few obvious questions to every Fearless reader – what storms are you in the midst of? What is God up to in the midst of your storms? Does He have your attention?
If you’ve read this article, perhaps God has your attention. For compelling insights into riding out life’s storms, I would encourage you to go one step further. Get out of the boat (Matthew 14:25-33) by reading Fearless by Max Lucado. And remember…
“Courage is fear that has said its prayers”
