General George Patton, the famous World War II general was known as a colorful man. He was a brilliant military strategist; had a mind that was focused like a laser-beam; had zero patience with anyone standing in his way; always spoke his mind (and sometimes spoke without using his mind). Patton defined the Latin phrase “Prima Dona.”
I talked to a friend of mine who served under Patton during the war. He was only 18 years old when he was in Patton’s army. Imagine – an 18 year old fighting in the Battle of the Bulge! I was having fun in college when I was 18.
I asked my friend if he ever had a conversation with General Patton. He said “Patton spoke to me once. And he cussed me out.” Patton was known for his strong language. But he was also known as a man who read the Bible every day. Although the Bible didn’t change Patton’s language, I believe the Bible impacted Patton’s thoughts. One quote attributed to Patton was “Fear kills more people than death.” I have found that statement to be true.
Has fear killed your dreams; killed your marriage; killed your career? Has fear killed your spirit of adventure? Has fear killed your passion for Jesus? Has fear of people and their opinions killed your willingness to step out by faith? Most important, has fear killed your faith… your ability to trust God?
So where does that fear come from? Well, it didn’t come from God. The Bible says: For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
Let’s spend some time over the next week or two thinking through this thing called fear…
