A Lesson from Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor who knew about facing fear. From the start of the Nazis’ rise to power in 1933, he had the courage to stand up against Adolf Hitler.
Bonhoeffer believed that Christians have a responsibility not to retreat from the world but to act within it. During the war, he spoke out against anti-Semitism and assisted the resistance movement inside Germany. Refusing to back down, Bonhoeffer was imprisoned in 1943 in Berlin and later executed.
In this segment of Faith over Fear, I share part of a sermon on fear preached by Bonhoeffer shortly before Hitler came to power. His lessons certainly still apply today.
Blessed to be a Blessing,
Greg Syfan,
President, Syfan Logistics
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
Psalm 56:3
Overcoming Fear
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Bible, the gospel, Christ, the church, the faith – all are one great battle cry against fear in the lives of human beings. Fear is, somehow or other, the archenemy itself. Fear secretly gnaws and eats at all the ties that bind a person to God and to others.
But the human being doesn’t have to be afraid. That is what makes us different from all other creatures. In the midst of every situation where there is no way out, . . . we know there is hope, and this hope is called: Thy will be done. His will is forever our ground and hope. He alone is Lord over fear – it knows Him as its master; it gives way to Him alone.
So, look to Christ when you are afraid, think of Christ, keep Him before your eyes, call upon Christ and pray to Him, believe that He is with you now, helping you.
Then fear will grow pale and fade away, and you will be free, through your faith in our strong and living Savior, Jesus Christ.