We'll all have different answers to that question. Some will be afraid of spiders, others will be afraid of the dark. And the 'level' of those fears will also vary from person to person. One person's fear of spiders means they run from the room screaming, another person's fear allows them to place a plastic cup over the eight legged culprit - as long as they can do it from arm's length.
During the last week of the summer holidays I remembered that I'm not overly keen on heights. I probably should have remembered this before agreeing to go to 'Clip and Climb'.
Even when you're securely clipped on and in a safe environment and have just seen children half your size conquer the 'stairway to heaven' - none of that stops your body and mind doing some strange things as you get further and further away from the floor!
This Sunday at CBC we began a new teaching series - Promises Kept & Promises Broken: Studies in Joshua & Judges. As Joshua succeeds Moses and looks to lead the people into the Promised Land God commands him to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid or discouraged - because God promises to be with him wherever he goes (Joshua 1:9).
September for many is a time of new beginnings - whether that's starting school, secondary school or going off to university, or starting a new job. And at such times verses like Joshua 1:9 or Philippians 4:6-7 give encouragement.
But they can also be a cause for concern - we face a new situation and we are anxious - what does that say about our faith?
I think that the reality is that most of us experience some level of anxiety when facing a new situation even if we also experience God's peace. But we're not alone. Nehemiah, the guy who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem after the return from the exile was 'very much afraid' in the presence of the king (Nehemiah 2:1-3).
But the important thing was that Nehemiah's actions were not governed by his fear but by his knowledge of what was right in spite of his fear.
The last time the people of Israel were in this position (Numbers 13-14) their response was governed by their fear rather than what they knew God could do and had promised to do. This time round, whilst there may have been an element of fear in the people as they approached their first battle, they did not allow their fear to stop them doing what was right.
Whatever it is that we're anxious or fearful of at the moment - let's make sure that our actions aren't dictated by that fear but by our knowledge of who God is, what God has done and what God has promised.
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