Nine Terrifying Things You Really Don’t Have to Fear!

Fear not!

Disaster: The Fear of Natural Calamity “A massive tornado roared through Moore, Oklahoma,” recalls Dr. Jeremiah, author of What Are You Afraid Of? “Scores of homes and businesses were flattened and seven students died when the Plaza Towers grade school took a direct hit. Even long-time residents of that part of the nation, known as Tornado Alley, were amazed at the devastation.” Indeed, natural disaster ranks right up there in the top nine things that scare even the toughest of us. “Natural disasters are not new, of course,” writes the author. “An enormously wealthy and respected man named Job experienced several disasters in the space of 24 hours, two of which were natural calamities: a fire destroyed his wealth and a windstorm killed his children. What do Job’s disasters, and the tragedies we see in our modern world, say about God, and what should our response be when nature strikes?” The truth is: the only thing worth fearing is God Himself.

Fear not!

Disease: The Fear of Serious Illness “I have been asked hundreds of times over the years, ‘Were you afraid when you were dealing with cancer?’” explains Dr. Jeremiah. “The simple answer is ‘Yes.’ I may be a pastor, but I’m also a human being. Cancer is just as much a threat to me as it is to anyone else in terms of the emotions involved – specifically, the emotion of fear. Christians are not exempt from the malfunctions of creation or the emotional responses to them. Every time I return to the clinic for my CT scans, all the original emotions come flooding back. I wasn’t then, and am not now, afraid to die. But I was afraid for my family and my ministry and the unforeseen complications of a serious illness. I learned it is possible to trust God and experience fear at the same time – without letting fear get the upper hand.”