“This is taking forever, Dad!”
My kids love to use this phrase with me when they are getting impatient as they wait for something. For them, waiting seems permanent and eternal.
When I consider how their life span is shorter than mine, it does make sense that they perceive the wait as longer than I do. But, I do take a moment and remind them “this feels like forever but it’s going to be over eventually. You’ll live through this. I promise!”
While you might remember that kind of “forever” feeling from your childhood, a lot of us still feel “forever” in our lives as adults. We feel like a certain fear or weakness will always be present in our lives. We tell ourselves and others that our current situation in life is not a season; it’s permanent. We even say things like “this is just my lot in life.”
If those feelings, or that mindset, have ever been true for you, then I encourage you to give Maverick City Music’s song “Fear is Not My Future” a listen soon.
With lines like “Fear is not my future,” “sickness is not my story” and “Heartbreak's not my home,” Brandon Lake, Jonathan Jay, Chandler David Moore, and other collaborators on this large project remind listeners that a larger and perhaps longer view is needed on their present moment.
In a “song story” video posted to his YouTube Channel, Lake recounts the genesis of this song. The title lyric came from a worship night at Jonathan Jay’s church during a spontaneous moment. A barrage of voice memos and text were exchanged back and forth and the song emerged.
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Lake described how the song functions as a chance to “break agreements” which people make with their illness, fear, or weakness. In contrast to accepting these at “their lot in life,” Lake urges listeners to consider how they can push back on that mindset and say goodbye to the opposite of what Jesus came to bring people who put their faith in His name.
While Lake did not reference this passage in describing the origin of “Fear is Not My Future,” my mind went to John 10:10 as I watched the video. There, Jesus described himself as the Good Shepherd. He contrasted His identity as a shepherd with those who are thieves and robbers. “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
It’s this kind of purpose which Maverick City Music declares at the outset of the song.
While the song is inspiring and the lyrics can be a strong mindset shift for those who see themselves as victims of their circumstances or hopeless in the face of adversity, there is a warning for a way that these lyrics could be misused.
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It is unbiblical to say that our lives will not include suffering or that God is looking to relieve our pain as soon as possible. A relationship with Jesus does not make us immune to hard things. While we may pray for relief or “prophesy” against these fears, sicknesses, and heartbreaks, they may be a lasting part of the story God uses in our lives on this side of heaven, but they don’t have to be the defining part.
Katherine Wolf embodies this well. Wolf's life was beautiful in every direction. She was a new mother with a promising model career when a massive brain stem stroke almost killed her at age 26. Though she miraculously survived, her life was forever altered, as pain became a daily occurrence and many surgeries lay ahead. Once a beauty pageant winner, the stroke left her face permanently disfigured. Katherine and her husband Jay tell the story of their journey in Hope Heals and how they continue forward in their follow-up book, Suffer Strong. Katherine will live with pain, discomfort, and limitations for the rest of her life. But, her perspective is not defined by them; instead, it’s defined by a relentless joy and hope that she now shares as a speaker and author.
An example in Scripture of this tension is the Apostle Paul. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul is calling on God to remove a source of pain and suffering in his life.
“To keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Nevertheless, when we listen to a song like “Fear is Not My Future,” we are given an opportunity to put our trust in a God who is sovereign in power over this life and all eternity. When we consider our secure eternal place with God, this life pales in comparison and our challenges are weak against that kind of victory. It is that kind of hope which equips us to navigate the trials and sorrows which will come our way. We can have peace, joy, love, strength, and hope in the One who has overcome everything we face. That’s why we keep moving forward and that’s why we sing!
So, today, listen to “Fear is Not My Future.” Keep trusting that God’s grace is all you need. Keep trusting His power and strength in your weakness. Keep holding onto the One who has overcome!
Scott Savage is a pastor and a writer. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona. Scott is married to Dani and they are the proud parents of three children. He loves helping hurting people forgive others through his Free to Forgive course and you can read more of his writing at scottsavagelive.com.
