🎢 Camp Fear or Camp Fun?

 

How hope—not fear—changes the ride

Scripture:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

—John 16:33 (NIV)

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There are two types of people when it comes to roller coasters—those who scream in terror and those who scream with joy. Everyone seems to land in one camp or the other. People in Camp Fear find the sensation of falling out of control too much to handle. The people in Camp Fun? Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on in their heads—because I belong squarely in the first group.

But maybe that’s the key: what’s going on in our heads. One group interprets the feeling of plummeting as exhilarating. The other? We’re just trying not to barf. It all starts with how we think.

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So how do we in Camp Fear overcome anxiety?

It’s not just about roller coasters.

Fear of cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, the loss of loved ones—and for me, Dallas traffic—are all very real. We’ve seen it. We know 💩 happens. Life can—and will—go wrong.

So if all that is true, how do we overcome fear?

The Bible tells us “do not fear” more than 300 times. That tells me two things: (1) fear is part of the human condition, and (2) we are called to something better. God doesn’t ask us to fly without wings—and I don’t believe He would command “fear not” without giving us a way to do it.

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Is fear the opposite of faith?

I used to think so. That if I feared, I lacked faith. And then came the guilt.

But Moses experienced both. So did David. Jesus, in the garden, was deeply troubled. Maybe fear isn’t always the absence of faith. Maybe it’s a mindset.

I fear the blows that life (or the enemy) might deal me or my loved ones. This world is hard. God promises to bring beauty from ashes, but I still dread the fire. Maybe that dread is where the enemy wins—not just in the pain, but in the anticipation of pain.

I’m not about to pretend that God makes life on earth rosy. He doesn’t promise that. But when I let fear dominate my mind, I destroy my chance at joy. Maybe this is why God commands us not to fear—because fear robs us of the joy of walking through life with the Spirit.

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Fear may not be the opposite of faith.

Maybe it’s the opposite of hope.

Hope keeps our eyes on the final outcome.

Fear fixates on the next possible disaster.

God can bring beauty from ashes—but fear? I can’t recall Him ever transforming that into something beautiful. Fear poisons relationships. It wears down our bodies. It steals our joy and blinds us to God’s nearness.

So maybe the answer isn’t to expect an easy ride—but to throw up our hands and trust the track.

Because in the end, God wins.

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Reflection:

When I find myself white-knuckling through the day, I must remember my hope. I must pry each finger off the safety bar, throw my hands in the air, and join Camp Fun. Not because life is painless—but because the ride ends in glory.

Let the enemy do his worst—I know how the story ends.