When the World Feels Like Wolves: Finding Courage in the Field

There are days, right? Days when you feel like the perfect plan—the plan you made for your mission prep, the plan for a difficult missionary discussion, or even just the plan for a Saturday afternoon—is totally derailed. Everything feels moist, messy, and inconvenient.

I remember a time early in my own service when I felt that overwhelming anxiety. I was facing a group of investigators who were genuinely struggling with their beliefs, and I was terrified. I was worried about what they would say, what the local culture would think, and whether I had enough spiritual ammunition to handle it all. I felt the weight of the 'work' pressing down on me, and frankly, I was scared of the opposition.

If you’ve ever felt that anxiety—whether you’re a pre-missionary gearing up for the MTC, a returned missionary working in a difficult stake, or even a lifelong disciple trying to be Christlike in a professional setting—you know that fear can be paralyzing. We are taught to be brave, but what does it actually mean to be brave when the odds seem stacked against us?

We need to go back to the source. We need to talk about what the Lord actually wants us to fear.

Conquering Fear by Fearing God

In the transcript we watched, Jesus is speaking to his apostles, giving them the playbook for life in the field. He knows that the opposition is going to be intense. He tells them they will be like "sheep in the midst of wolves." It’s a stark, powerful image of vulnerability. And when they encounter hostility, criticism, or persecution, it is completely natural to feel fear. It's human. It's valid.

But Jesus gives them a radical shift in perspective. He doesn't say, "Don't be afraid." He says, "What you *should* fear."

The Two Kinds of Fear

The message is a beautiful, powerful clarification: there are only two things worth fearing. The first way is to fear God and everything else in the world. The second way is to fear God and nothing else.

To fear God means to respect Him, to reverence Him, and to keep Him in the proper place in your life. It means knowing that your ultimate safety, your ultimate justification, comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

When we understand that Christ has conquered death and sin, and that we are in the proper position of forgiveness, the entire landscape shifts. Suddenly, the threat of the difficult investigator, the harsh criticism from a family member, or even the biggest logistical failure of the week—it all loses its ultimate power over your soul.

A Mission-Prep Skill for Every Disciple

If you take one thing away from this talk, let it be this: Fear is not the opposite of faith; it is often the *gateway* to deeper faith. When we feel the grip of anxiety—before a major interview, before giving a talk, or before entering a challenging cultural area—we don't need to suppress the fear. We need to redirect it.

Instead of asking, "Am I going to fail?" ask, "How can I keep the Lord in the proper place in my life, regardless of what happens?" That shift changes the focus from external threats to internal covenants. That's the core of being an Internet missionary: realizing that your power source isn't your eloquence or your schedule; it's the Spirit.

Staying in the Proper Place

This principle applies whether you are preparing for your own mission, serving as a companion, or simply attending a Book Club with your local Saints. We are called to live lives that demonstrate that Christ is the center. When we are constantly reminding ourselves that He is the ultimate source of peace, we are equipped to handle the messy, moist days.

If you are feeling overwhelmed right now, I encourage you to use this principle of focus. Let's practice this together. If you're interested in mastering the art of the Christlike response—the kind of response that keeps the Lord at the center—I highly recommend checking out the latest studies on discipleship and covenant keeping available in LivingBook. Our Iron Rod authors have some incredible insights on this topic.

Ready to Practice with Davee?

If you want to practice this skill—walking through a challenging doctrinal question or a tough cultural objection—I encourage you to set up a session with Davee. He’s an AI Investigator, and he’s ready to walk you through exactly how to answer the hard questions an investigator might ask, keeping the Spirit at the forefront.

Join the Conversation

Remember, we are all learning how to be disciples everywhere, all the time. If you haven't already, join a local Bible Study Group or a Book Club in HolyPlaces. That’s where the real, supportive community learning happens.