WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER CHRISTIAN SONG ABOUT OUR FEAR.
Why do we sing about our fear so much? This question has been swirling in my mind for at least a year. It takes very little observation on one’s part to see that contemporary Christian music, including worship songs, deals with the topic of fear often. Lyrics like “Fear, you don’t own me.”and“I’m no longer a slave to fear” fill the radio airwaves, streaming playlists at work, and worship sets on Sundays. It is well documented that we are dealing with a cultural crisis of fear, stress, and anxiety. The Church isn’t immune to these issues and in a noble effort Christian artists, song-writers, and worship leaders have responded with songs to remind us of truths to help battle these symptoms of our brokenness. I have long battled with severe fear and anxiety over public speaking and in particular, preaching. I do not write this article from a high-horse position of someone that has battled fear and won. Fear is my ever present unwanted companion. But I’m going to write something that might come as a shock to you:
ALL THESE SONGS ABOUT MY FEAR DO NOT HELP!
These songs are successful in allowing me to naval-gaze and focus on my problems and remind me of this constant struggle, IN WHICH I NEED NO REMINDER. They occasionally give me enough self-affirmation and self-help techniques to last a few hours until I am faced with a situation and the source of my fear. I’m left with failure. One can draw the conclusion that I didn’t believe the truths that I repeated 15 times per minute in my playlist. This cycle has led me to a clear conclusion.
WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER SONG ABOUT OUR FEARS.
Here are the songs and truths that help me with my fear.
Songs and Truths that…
Expand Our View of God
When I read and sing about the glory, holiness, BIGNESS of God, I shrink. So does my fear. Why? Because, I have forgotten about it and have begun to surrender to a greater power. Read Isaiah 40. There is nothing about you in there except for how small you are. My concern is that our fear and God’s taking away of our fear has become a central theme of our worship. Which means WE have become the focus of our worship. When God is the focus of our worship then we shrink. I don’t need songs that talk about me. I have enough of a problem over-focusing on me already. Which is one of the sources of my fear anyways.
Listen to songs that make much of God. His Nature, His Holiness, His Grandeur. His Sovereignty.
Reposition Our Gaze
Hebrews 12:1–11, provides for the Christian a clear how to face fear — “look to Jesus” and “Consider him”. It then proceeds to remind the Church of what Christ endured to secure our salvation and Union with Him.
I need songs that remind me of what Christ has done, not what I’m going to do in response. I won’t sing songs that make promises to God that I won’t/can’t keep. The Bible speaks to this point that we should not vow anything to God that we aren’t willing to keep (Numbers 30:1–2; Matthew 5:33–37; James 5:12).
I love to sing songs of how Christ has made all the promises of God, Yes (2 Corinthians 1:20).
It is interesting that Hebrews 12:1–11, provides no deliverance from our fear. It only provides the truths of the faithfulness of Christ and the Beauty of the Gospel brings in the midst of the ugliness of this broken world and our own personal brokenness.
Listen to Before the Throne of God Above, He Will Hold Me Fast and other songs that make much of the Person and Work of Jesus.
Long For The Day When There Is No Fear.
Revelation 21
What if God decides to not take away your fear in this life? I have asked myself this very question countless times. This is where worshipping a BIG, Sovereign and Good God helps with my response: His grace is sufficient.
I long for the day when God takes all my fears away. I am not giving in to the enemy when I say that I believe that it will not happen in this world but in the one to come.
When I read Revelation 21 and sing about Heaven, I weep. I so long to be with Him, the Object of my worship.
God is not a means to the end of your fear removal. He is the chief end of all existence. We don’t get to live a fearless life. We get Him. In Him there is no fear.
When my fear inevitably creeps up and causes me to sin yet again, I need to be reminded that there is a day that is coming where my fear will be wiped away because I will be in the presence of God.
“Is He Worthy”
Is all creation groaning?
(It is)
Is a new creation coming?
(It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst?
(It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this?
(It is)
