President Obama's most recent National Prayer Breakfast speech focused on the way faith can overcome fear in our lives. He also talked about our need to love others, particularly those of other faiths, and that this love will help us conquer our differences. These statements reminded me of what prophets and apostles have taught throughout the centuries:
"As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have enormous spiritual reservoirs of light and truth available to us. Fear and faith cannot coexist in our hearts at the same time. In our days of difficulty, we choose the road of faith. Jesus said, 'Be not afraid, only believe.'" --Elder Anderson
'I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear." --Moroni 8:16
"We must live by faith and not by fear." --Elder Cook
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." --1 John 4:18
In his last National Prayer Breakfast speech while in office, President Obama gave an introspective talk about how his faith overcomes his fears.
“For me, and I know for so many of you, faith is the great cure for fear,” Obama said at the Washington Hilton event Thursday (Feb. 4). “Jesus is a good cure for fear.”
Obama’s speech to several thousand mostly evangelical listeners came a day after he spoke at a Baltimore mosque and gave a history lesson on Muslim Americans’ contributions to the country.