記得我還是個小男孩時，學校操場經常發生霸凌事件，而像我這樣的孩子在遭受霸凌時，幾乎沒有反抗的能力。我們在那些惡霸面前因害怕而畏縮，更糟的是還得要面對他們的冷嘲熱諷：「你感到害怕嗎？你很怕我，不是嗎？這裡沒人能保護你。」

事實上，大多數時候我是真的很害怕，而這是有原因的。我曾經有挨打的慘痛經驗，因此我不想再經歷這種事。那麼，當我恐懼驚惶的時候，我該怎麼辦？我能相信誰呢？當你只有八歲，而那個欺負你的孩子，年紀比你大，比你更高更壯，你自然會感到恐懼害怕。

但以色列的君王大衛在遭受攻擊時，卻以信心來回應，而非恐懼害怕，因他深知自己並非獨自面對那些威嚇。他寫道：「有耶和華幫助我，我必不懼怕，人能把我怎麼樣呢？」（詩篇118篇6節）當我年紀還小的時候，或許無法體會大衛那種程度的信心。但我現在已經是個成年人，在這與主同行的多年歲月裡，我深知祂遠勝於任何使我驚懼的威脅。

在生活中，我們確實會面對威脅或恐嚇，但不必害怕。這位宇宙的創造者與你我同在，我們有祂便已足夠。

When I was a boy, the schoolyard was where bullies threw their weight around and kids like me received that bullying with minimal protest. As we cowered in fear before our tormenters, there was something even worse: their taunts of “Are you scared? You’re afraid of me, aren’t you? There’s no one here to protect you.”

In fact, most of those times I really was frightened—and with good cause. Having been punched in the past, I knew I didn’t want to experience that again. So, what could I do and whom could I trust when I was stricken with fear? When you’re eight years old and being bullied by a kid who is older, bigger, and stronger, the fear is legitimate. 

When the psalmist faced attack, he responded with confidence rather than fear—because he knew he didn’t face those threats alone. He wrote, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 118:6). As a boy, I’m not sure I would have been able to understand his level of confidence. As an adult, however, I’ve learned from years of walking with Christ that He’s greater than any fear-inducing threat.

The threats we face in life are real. Yet we need not fear. The Creator of the universe is with us, and He’s more than enough.