The Fear Letter

“Pray for me,” Aaron’s email letter said, “I have a lot of fear about the future.”

Most of us could join Aaron in acknowledging this feeling.

Aaron, a gifted journalism student, sees his career as a calling from God. The Editor-in-Chief of his college’s newspaper, he also interned this past summer at a small daily paper. He has the marks of someone destined for success.

Moses, one of the Bible’s all-time-greats, could have used Aaron’s exact words: “I have a lot of fear about the future.”

The Bible says, “God called to Moses from within the bush.” They ensued in a conversation regarding God’s assignment for Moses—getting the Jewish people out of Egypt. Fear of failure peppers nearly every sentence Moses spoke. He then, in essence, gave God a bottom-line: “What if they do not believe me or listen to me?” If this happened, failure would be certain.

So God offered a sign to alleviate his fear. He told Moses to throw a staff he was carrying to the ground.

Bam! It turned into a snake.

Moses, who probably had seen hundreds of snakes during forty-years in the dessert: “Ran from it.” He ran from the very sign God gave him to show success was to be expected; fear was unwarranted.

Aaron has had many signs. He’s sensed a Holy Spirit-communicated calling from God. He’s experiencing success in whatever he does career-wise. He has even acknowledged God’s Divine opening of doors.

All signs from God.

Moses, my friend Aaron, you, or I all need to heed them. Take courage from them to face our fears. And Moses ultimately did this.

His greatest fear seemed to be Pharaoh. Yet this exalted leader eventually tumbled.

Pharaoh made a parting request to Moses: “Also bless me.” Through this humble request, even Pharaoh acknowledged God’s signs.