Jana Jackson
A few weeks ago, my husband and I attended an event in the downtown Dallas arts district. There were several activity booths on the lawn outside of the Winspear Opera House, and one of the most popular was a community group handing out balloons that said, “I want to live with no fear.” These white balloons floated above the heads of hundreds of people attending the event.
I want to live without fear, don’t you? With just a few days before our presidential election, I confess that I am afraid about the future of our 
government, no matter which candidate wins. I experience bouts of fear concerning the future for my children and grandchildren. Occasionally, I experience fear for my personal safety, my health or the health of the people I love, or fear for my financial security. While instinctive fear can be healthy (for example, causing us to run to escape danger), chronic fear about issues we have no control over keeps us trapped in our own anxieties instead of enjoying an abundant life.
Living without disabling fear is possible, even in a scary world. Freedom from fear is one of the “benefits” of being a Christ-follower. Jesus frequently tells his disciples not to be afraid, and he also gives us the remedy for fear: peace in Him. “In this world you will have trouble,” he says. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16: 33). Jesus, the God/Man, died and was resurrected, thus conquering death and the power of fear in our lives. His Spirit gives us the internal peace we crave—a peace that is not possible until we accept the redemption of our lives that Christ offers.
I want to live with no fear. So, in these days when I am afraid, I take a deep breath and remind myself to trust in God (Psalm 56:3). How do you cope with your fear?