Afraid of the Dark

When my children were young at times they would come to me and tell me they were afraid to go to sleep. Sometimes there were monsters under the bed and sometimes they were simply afraid of the dark. As they grew up they still had fears, but the fears were different. When they were preteens, their fears were that they wouldn't be liked by their peers and friends. As they grew older and were well into their high school years their fears became getting the grades they needed to graduate, among other things. My fears in life have changed as well. I used to be afraid that my teenage daughters would make a bad decision, get into a car with the wrong friend and have a life changing or even fatal injury. Now that my children are adults I don't worry so much about them. I do still have one thing that I worry about occasionally. I worry that something may happen to my wife and I would suddenly find myself alone, a widower. My wife makes me a better person and I can't imagine life without her. What does God's word have to say about worry and anxiety?

Matthew 6:27 ESV And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 

In Philippians the bible clearly teaches that Christians are not to worry. Philippians 4:6, says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.If you watch the news at all it is hard to not be worried about something. When the pandemic hit, I really didn't worry about getting the virus or getting fatally sick, the things I did have anxiety about may surprise you. I wasn’t worrying about masks, vaccines, or lock-downs. Rather, I saw the world falling apart around me and I wondered if it indicated a final slide into the end times, the final days of the world as prophesied in the bible. Instead of being joyful at the soon return of Jesus, I found myself a bit anxious about the end times. The headlines of the nightly news sound like they are quotes taken directly from the bible. Biblical signs of the end times include religious deception, wars and rumors of war, famines, pestilence, earthquakes, and the persecution of Christians. Other signs mentioned are; increasing lawlessness, immorality, and a decline in love among people. Maybe you can relate to my fears, about the world.

Mark 13: 7-8 ESV And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. 

As Christians, we know that God will accomplish his perfect will. God is in control in in the midst of what seems like chaos. He controls the events that will lead to the fulfillment of his word. For those who do not know the Savior, worry and fear will be a part of life. But to those who have given their lives to Him, there is a confident hope. We should not be worried or afraid of the darkness of this world. When we hear of conflict and unrest these are the signs of Jesus imminent return. If you have placed your faith in God you will agree, the world is filled with lost people doing what lost people do, lying, cursing, breaking laws and living immorally. Jesus will come back and in the twinkling of the eye there will be destruction. Saints will be saved. Sinners won’t be and Jesus will make all things new. 

Revelation 21:5 ESV And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 

So don't be afraid of the dark there is good news! This world is not th