A Hare, a Dark Road, and a Lesson About Fear and Faith

Have you ever felt afraid of something only to later find out you had nothing to fear? Maybe you were scared to fly in a plane, but after landing realized you were safe all along. Or perhaps you were scared to visit a new school or church, but soon met a friend and realized you didn’t need to be scared.

 

This week I encountered an animal that was scared. My husband and I were camping and as we drove to our campsite after dark, a hare jumped into the road in front of us. I knew from its long legs and large body it was not a rabbit, but a true hare, which is in the same Lagomorpha order or category as rabbits and pika, but unique.

 

The hare ran speedily down the road in front of us. We drove slowly, careful to give the hare its space. Because we were driving slowly, I know the hare was not running at its top speed. These amazing runners are built for speed and can run up to 30 Mph (48 Kph). I enjoyed the chance to see this amazing animal, but also felt bad that it was frightened by us. I wish it knew we would not harm it, but it was simply acting by instinct, and after a while dove back into the brush.

 

Much like the hare, we can be frightened by things that are not truly a threat. The hare's instinct to run keeps it safe. But when we live in fear, we can miss the good things God has in store for us. Fear can make us forget his promises. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The enemy steals from us by trapping us in fear. Instead, we can have abundant life—life to its fullest—as we trust Christ and live free from fear.

 

In this life, we will be afraid of things. But we can practice laying our fears at the feet of Jesus so we can feel his peace and comfort.

 

I couldn’t tell the hare that it was not in danger. But when we feel afraid, we can ask, “Is this a real danger?” If it’s something that is truly dangerous, we can ask God for protection and wisdom to stay safe. But we might also realize that the fear is only in our minds, and ask God to help us think clearly and trust him.

 

We can bring our fears to God in prayer, knowing that he protects us and offers us peace beyond understanding. We can follow the wise instructions in 1 Peter 5:7 which says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

Dear God, thank you for being my protector. Help me to live free from fear as I trust and follow you.

Fun Fact:

God designed snowshoe hares to turn white in winter. As there is less sunlight each day, a snowshoe hare begins to shed its brown coat of fur and grow white fur to help it stay hidden in the snow.

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