Drops of Blood: The Issue of Fear

Around 2000 years ago a man wept in a garden not far from the place he would soon be murdered. Knowing of his impending torture and death, he sat on his knees in utter agony, crying out to God to preserve him. Human emotions, such as fear, panic, and anxiety swirled around in his mind. Worst of all . . . He knew he didn’t deserve it. Sitting in the garden, the man was afraid. He was fearful. He was trembling. He was terrified.

He even sweated blood.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” ~Luke 22:42-44

Yes, Jesus Christ himself, was fearful. He was in utter agony, knowing that the time of his death was near. But he also knew the glory awaiting him in heaven. He was God himself, incarnated! And yet, he was experiencing fear and agony.

Was Christ in sin? Was he not “trusting in God” enough? Why was he anxious, since he was the Son of God and Creator of the Universe?

Imagine being a damsel in distress from one of those 1960’s cowboy movies. You’ve been bound hand and foot, and thrown onto the train tracks by the bad guys. As the train comes rushing toward you – what is going through your mind?

“YAY! I am about to die! Yippee!”

I doubt that.

As for myself, I would be extremely fearful. If I had the presence of mind to pray, I would be thinking, “Lord, please . . . Get me out of this!” Would I be wrong to plead with God, in fear? Would I not be trusting Him, like I should?

Lets go back to Christ . . . Matthew 26:10 (MSG version) says:

“Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?”

God has given us human emotions such as anxiety and fear. In and of themselves, they are not bad things. Without fear, there would be no reason to trust in God. He doesn’t want us skipping along in life, saying “I have Jesus in my heart, rainbows in the sky, and I NEVER have any fear or anger or timidity! Aren’t things jolly??” Fearing earthly dangers draws us closer to our Father because we have no choice but to trust in Him.

Now, there is an unhealthy fear. This fear is one that is stubbornly held on to, and not given to God. It’s an unwillingness to trust in Him. When does fear become a bad thing? When it begins to consume you. As long as fear is felt with the knowledge of God’s sovereignty, it is actually something God approves of, because it draws your heart closer to his. He doesn’t condemn the fearful!

Christ goes on to pray, “not what I want, but what YOU want, Father!” Even in the midst of his despair, as drops of blood were falling from his forehead, he deferred to his Fathers will. Similarly, we should do the same. Even in our fear, we must trust in Him.

As I have had to face my Dad, I have been fearful. The train has been coming at me, and I’ve felt bound on the tracks. But my Heavenly Father is always the cowboy coming to the rescue, just in time. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that God doesn’t allow us to suffer temptation more than we can bear. He always shows a way out! God won’t let us wallow in an unhealthy fear . . . He provides himself as an escape. So although that train is coming faster and faster, I have the knowledge that the Christ will save me, and not allow me to be hit by it. I am convinced that the fear I have of my Dad has been given to me by God and is a tool he uses to draw me ever closer to Himself.

~Lauren Lee

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? (Ps 27.1)

Thanks to Emmery Grotberg for the idea behind this post.