At times, fear seems to have the power to paralyze people. No matter how hard they try, they may feel they just can't deal with some threat or danger. But every now and then we hear about heroic acts that point to a power greater than ourselves, a power that conquers fear. Several years ago there was an interview on the radio with a man who had saved a life. Two cars collided near his house. One of them was on fire, with a passenger trapped inside. Bystanders wanted to help, but they were afraid to approach the car, thinking it would explode. Yet this man said he prayed and felt the presence and power of God. He was calm. He managed to get to the car and pull the passenger to safety.
Experiences like this inspire us to expand our sense of what's possible in the face of fear. Still, we may question whether such a power is consistently available and whether anyone except very spiritually-minded people would have the capacity to respond to it. Is there a universally operating power, beyond some strong effort of will, that can lift us above fear, even if we ourselves don't feel able to stop being afraid?
The Bible says that
God can lift us out
of the deepest terror.
