In television advertising we are led to believe that the greatest catastrophe that could befall us is "ring around the collar," or bad breath. Undue emphasis upon the importance of the body and the temporal quality of life has created a mind-set which is often more concerned with the accommodations of life’s journey than its destination. Modern fear and anxiety are not directed toward the real, valid, justified fears such as an eternity without God. This is one thing truly worthy of fearful consideration. Nevertheless, many people today are more afraid of living than dying. Much of what we fear, much of what makes us anxious, is unnecessary fear. Jesus once asked, "Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing."

Now God has never promised to remove all the troubles and problems from our lives. The truly committed Christian is often in conflict with the society around him. To say to a boss that you can’t work on Sunday because you desire to worship often creates problems. To say no to a date that wants to do what God says belongs in the confines of marriage goes against the prevailing trend of our society. But God has promised even in the midst of trouble and conflict a genuine peace, a sense of assurance and security that the worldly person never knows.

To help us cope with fear and anxiety God has promised us new strength through the indwelling of his Holy Spirit ... God, not just alive, but alive in you and in me. However, many Christians continue to harbor fears and anxieties. To cope with these we must seek out God. Fear and anxiety are often the by-products of solo performances through life. Even some Christians have not learned that life is a partnership between God and man. A daily welcoming of the Spirit of God into our hearts casts out fear and enhances our partnership. With God in us, life’s burdens are more easily borne, and anxiety and fear begin to dissolve like mist before the rising sun at the start of a beautiful day.