Be Not Afraid - Our Father is Faithful: Sofi Morales

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude.” – Victor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Most of my life I have lived in a constant state of fear. And as most of you probably already know, fear is powerful. Fear is also an emotional shapeshifter, if you will. It can manifest itself in the expected fight or flight responses, sure, but it also hides itself behind emotions and reactions we may not immediately categorize as such. People have often said, “a person in love will do crazy things.” And yes, genuine love is indeed powerful, but I would also argue that what we often see in and around our lives is not actually love at all, but fear. Fear of losing the things thing we desire, a fear of losing our control. You see, fear is a tricky and sometimes confusing word. We often see this term used throughout scripture in passages that call us to “fear” God. For example,

“Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God…” (1 Peter 2:17).

This is a clear command found all throughout scripture in both the Old and New Testaments. But what I want to distinguish here is the difference in our most common definition of fear and what the text actually means in reference to how we should respond to God. The Greek term used here is, “φοβεῖσθε” (phobeisthe), which can also be translated as “reverence”. So, when we see these commands to fear our God, it does not mean that we should live our lives trembling and afraid, but instead it calls us to be in complete awe of Him. It is a profound reverence for our creator, who with a word spoke into existence everything we see and experience around us and within us. This idea is different than the fear we often see in other places. As we know, Satan is an imitator. He cannot create, but instead distorts God’s good creation for his own purposes. In the same way, the original purpose for fear has been distorted by the enemy as a far too effective tool to damage our lives and distract us from our good Creator.

In my own life, this crippling version of fear has often left me weak and vulnerable. I did not grow up in a Christian home, but in the Lord’s graciousness to me, I did grow up knowing of God. I was born into chaos and an environment deeply affected by sin. I was born the daughter of an immigrant father and a young mother who struggled under the weight of caring for me. I was later adopted into what appeared to be my chance at a safer and more stable life, but unfortunately, looks can be deceiving. By the time I reached my teenage years I had been beaten down and tossed around so much, that I could see no real future for myself. I was empty, raw, bitter, and lost. The truth is, I had no real chance of the Gospel taking root in my life, and yet despite the darkness that desired my destruction, God opened my eyes to my need for Him. I was a small child when I became aware of my need for a Savior, but it was not until I was a young adult that I fully committed my life into His hands.

I was a child abandoned by my family and separated from my culture and heritage. I was abused emotionally and physically by the people who said they “loved” me, and I often struggled to see purpose for my life. But the deepest of my problems came from the fact that I was a sinner. Yes, I was broken and tattered by what was happening around me and to me, but the truth is, I was addicted to my own sin. I constantly lashed out against God, blaming Him for the darkness around me and the pain within me. This sin was rooted in fear. A distorted fear of never being seen or known, the fear of justice never being had, and a fear of all the questions I couldn’t answer. Fear that has shown itself through bitterness, spite, anger, sexual sin, manipulation, and idolatry. This fear has had chains on me from the time I was born. It has stolen so much from me. My joy, my peace, my innocence, and my time. I lost out on some of the most precious years of my life because of fear and sin, and to this day I am still working through the weight of that loss.

Over the years, as I have had time and distance from those early days of my life, the Lord has shown me time and time again that He is not only a mighty God of justice, but a faithful and patient father. A father who will complete the work He began within me all those years ago. I have learned that though my mind often lets me down when I lean on my own ability to regulate my emotions or stop sinful pattens, the kindness of my heavenly father meets me there. In the thick of panic attacks, anxiety, depression, trauma, and blatant disobedience; God is with me, and He is with you too. So, instead of allowing fear to continue entangling us in cycles of sin, by the Spirit of God we are free to embrace our weaknesses as means by which the Gospel can be made known. We may not be able to change the story that we have, but God sure does allow us to use it and to choose how we view it. I, like most, may be a bit messy, but I praise the Lord each day that my messiness is only a lens through which to see His goodness. My prayer is that you would also be encouraged to lean into those painful places, because there underneath it all, you will find a faithful Father waiting to turn your deepest pain into your greatest platform.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

Sofi began her college career at the University of South Carolina but made the move to Wake Forest in the Fall of 2018 after struggling with God’s calling on her life. Her decision to pursue a biblical education came after hearing about the College at Southeastern through a pivotal summer internship serving with NAMB in San Diego, CA. She is now pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Christian Ethics.

Sofi was recently married to her husband, Isai Morales, who she met while serving as a short-term missionary in Mexico. They are passionate about bringing the Gospel message to those within the Latin American and Hispanic communities, as a great need for faithful leadership and sound doctrine still exists today. Sofi’s desire after graduation is to teach, serve, and equip women and young girls as they wrestle through what it means to be a woman of God throughout every season. She is currently working as a Faculty Secretary here on Campus, so feel free to stop by and say hello!