Fear and the Sovereignty of God
“God is in control.”
These words can be of wonderful comfort to people struggling with common phobias, natural fears, apprehension of impending bad news, or even deep-seated terrors resulting from past trauma. A biblical reminder that God is sovereign over all things often brings great relief. That nothing can happen to us that does not first pass through the will of God is comforting in many fearful or worrisome situations.
But there are times when the words “God is in control” might actually make matters worse. A terrified Christian may have already wrestled with the fact that God is sovereign, yet since their fears have been realized, they arrive at the misguided conclusion that God is punishing them, or worse, that God has abandoned them to the very things which terrify them. At the root of such fear and anxiety is not whether God is in control of all things (a doctrine most Christians readily accept), but a fear that God really is in control of all things. “Why would God allow my fears to become my reality?” “Perhaps God hates me or has rejected me” they reason, only ratcheting up the intensity of their own dread and terror. The reality is for some that the awareness of God’s sovereignty may not be a source of relief—only another source of doubt, frustration, fear, or even anger at God. Fear can do this to people, even Christians, who intellectually know better.
There are a couple of points I think worthy of consideration when confronting our fears in the light of God’s sovereignty. The first is to undertake a brief refresher course as to what those biblical passages actually say when they tell us that God is “in control.” There are many such passages and we can but survey them here. When we have a good (or better) grasp of the extent of God’s control over all things, we are reminded that nothing which comes to pass is either random or outside the will of God. The Psalmist reminds us, “for I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth” (Psalm 135:5-6). In Proverbs we read that God’s sovereignty extends even to seemingly incidental things. “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (Proverbs 16:33). This information is given to remind us that nothing—no matter how seemingly insignificant—can happen to us which is outside the scope of God’s eternal decree.
God knows when a sparrow falls from the sky, and if he cares for them, how much more does he care for us? (cf. Matthew 6:26). Paul tells us that “for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). James states “let no one say when he is tempted, `I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13). James adds, “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” God does not tempt us or cause us to be afraid. He gives us all good things, and he promises to turn everything (even our fears) to our ultimate good.
This short list of biblical passages reminds us that any fear we may be facing can bring God glory, or be turned by God to our ultimate good. The passages tell us that God generously grants us needed reassurance when we are afraid. Scripture calms our fears by reminding us that God is our heavenly Father who loves us, who cares for us, even when we fear him, or dread the outcome of his sovereign purposes. He still loves us, even when we are afraid that he doesn’t.
A second thing to consider is that if anyone believed in God’s absolute sovereignty, it was Jesus, God incarnate. The gospels reveal that knowing God’s purpose in advance, and knowing that the outcome of his suffering would be a glorious triumph over death and the grave, nevertheless, Jesus felt both tremendous fear and anxiety before the ordeal of the cross. Through a consideration of Jesus’ own fear and anxiety we can find great relief for our own.
In Matthew 26:36-38, we read “Jesus went . . . to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, `Sit here, while I go over there and pray.’ And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, `My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.’” Jesus also said, “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ Again, for the second time, [Jesus] went away and prayed, `My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done’” (Matthew 26:41-42). In Luke’s account the extent of Jesus’ fear is revealed. “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Clearly, Jesus was afraid. The witnesses observed that the Lord was in great emotional stress—even fear of what was soon to happen. Jesus knew full well what was to come in the hours ahead—the agony of a Roman crucifixion. But the fact that Jesus experienced and manifested such fear, tells us that fear and anxiety are not necessarily sinful–that Jesus was anxious before his suffering upon the cross proves this to be the case. Fear of pain, or awareness of life-threatening danger is quite natural.
Yet in the midst of our Lord’s anxiety in Gethesame, he nevertheless trusts his Father to see him through the horrific ordeal to come. Jesus may sweat drops of blood, but he still drinks the cup of wrath to save us from our sins—and that cup blessedly includes any fear we may have which arises from unbelief or doubt of God’s promises. Remarkably, Jesus is not only an example to us when we are afraid, but as the sinless sufferer his suffering and death removes any guilt we may have for doubting God’s promises, or fearing his approach, or fear of the outcome of his sovereign purpose. Jesus died for our all sins, including all sinful fear, worry, doubt, and anxiety.
We have a great high priest, who never sleeps nor slumbers, and who knows what it is like for us to experience fear and anxiety. It is Jesus to whom we pray when we are afraid, and it is Jesus who prays for us, even as we pray to him—often times in fear, worry, and anxiety (Heb. 4:14-16). His love for us is said to cast out all fear (1 John 4:18). Jesus, our blessed mediator, knows full well what fear is, and when we are afraid, even brief reflection upon his death for us and in our place, gives us much needed perspective if we are ever tempted to recoil upon hearing the words, “God is in control.”
Our kind and gracious intercessor is, after all, the man of sorrows.