Fear Not! Really?!?!
Rev. Erik Swanson
June 15, 2025
You can watch the entire sermon here.
Over the past week, I’ve felt an unsettling sense of fear creeping into my life and into the lives of those around me. It’s been subtle at times, but also very profound. I’ve heard it in conversations, seen it in spiritual direction sessions, and felt it when listening to the news — stories about Medicare cuts, unrest in LA, or two Minnesota legislators shot by a person impersonating the police. I’ve felt it in the collective anxiety stirred by ICE raids and political rhetoric. There’s this undercurrent of worry about what’s happening to our country and our communities. And in the middle of it all, I hear scripture reminding me, “Fear not. I am with you.” These words from Luke 12: 1-7 are beautiful, powerful words — but living them out, especially now, is hard.
Fear is Powerful
Fear is real and deeply human. It kicks in quickly, bypassing our higher thinking, stirring panic, and shutting down our connection to peace and Spirit. It’s not just emotional — it’s biological, even exploitable. Leaders and politicians have long used fear to control others. Today, we see it weaponized in stories like “invasions” at the Southern border — false narratives crafted to manipulate us. When fear grips me, I know my awareness shifts. I become reactive, anxious, and less able to think clearly or remain spiritually grounded. I’ve seen it happen in myself and in others. Sometimes the fear snowballs. A sound in the house becomes a dangerous intruder. Fear becomes “False Evidence Appearing Real.”
Remaining Centered
Still, I know that fear is not new. The world has always been a little chaotic. Our current political turmoil is part of a long history of unrest and uncertainty. The difference is how we respond. Will we allow fear to dictate our actions, or will we choose to stay grounded in our faith, accountable to God, and present in our communities? That’s the challenge — to remain centered while the storm rages around us.
Focusing on God’s Strength
Richard Rohr says that fear resists the flow of love. God calls us to expand, to open, to love freely. Fear makes us shrink, cling, withdraw, and narrow our gaze. I see how those opposing forces show up in my own heart. So how do I not be afraid? Ignoring fear doesn’t work — that’s just denial. What helps is focus. What I choose to focus on shapes my experience. If I fixate on what scares me, I give it power. But if I keep my focus on God’s strength, on divine wisdom and love, then fear loses its grip. I try to remember to focus on where I want to go, not just what I’m trying to outrun.
Practical Tools
I also lean on practical tools: self-care, healthy community, spiritual practices. I try to eat well, rest, pray, laugh, exercise, and surround myself with things and people that bring life. Give yourself time to focus on the flower and not the manure! I pay attention to my thoughts, especially the fearful ones, and ask — are they even true? So often they’re not. Naming the story I’m telling myself and fact-checking it is powerful. It helps me re-center and come back to what’s real.
We Can Persevere
The road ahead won’t be easy. The next few years may be filled with more fear-inducing headlines and uncertainty. But I believe with God’s presence and power, we can persevere. We’ve been through hard things before. We’ve endured betrayal, grief, struggle — and we’ve grown. We’ve become more resilient, more trusting of God, and more rooted in love.
No one promised life would be easy. But in the middle of fear and chaos, I pray we know that God is with us, strengthening us, guiding us. I pray that every challenge deepens our connection to God. May we walk this path with courage, rooted in love, ever aware of the Spirit that sustains us. Amen.