Embracing the Present: Fear and Gratitude

"Do not be afraid of your fears, but cope with them—learn how to deal with them—because unless you do, you cannot live your life abundantly and fully." (Fyodor Raychynets)

Evoking courage, resilience, and faith in the face of overwhelming uncertainty, Ukrainian pastor and theologian Fyodor Raychynets returns to For the Life of the World three years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In conversation with Evan Rosa, Fyodor shares his reflections on fear, freedom, and the emotional and spiritual challenges of living fully in a time of war. He discusses his response to recent global political developments, the struggle of holding onto hope, and the importance of confronting fear rather than suppressing it. Drawing from the Gospel of Mark’s iteration of Jesus walking on water, his own personal grief and therapy, and the lived experience of war, Fyodor sees fear not as something to be avoided or gotten rid of, but as something to understand and face with courage.

"We are in a situation where we are scared to hope."

"Do not be afraid of your fears, but cope with them—learn how to deal with them—because unless you do, you cannot live your life abundantly and fully."

"If I want to say to someone, ‘I love you,’ I say it. If I want to forgive, I forgive. If I want to do something meaningful, I do it now—because tomorrow is never guaranteed."

"The enemy wants us to live in fear, to be paralyzed by it. But to live fully is to resist."

"When Jesus scared his disciples on the water, he was bringing their fears to the surface—so that they could face them and find true freedom."

Show Notes

Image: “Walking on Water”, by Ivan Aivazovsky, Russia, 1888

Episode Summary

• Ukrainian pastor and theologian Fyodor Raychynets reflects on faith, fear, and hope after three years of war.
• The role of fear in spiritual and personal transformation.
• A biblical perspective on confronting fear, drawn from the Gospel of Mark.
• Political and emotional reactions to recent global events impacting Ukraine.
• Living fully in the present as an act of resistance against fear and oppression.

Faith, Fear, and Freedom

• Fyodor Raychynets returns to discuss Ukraine’s ongoing struggle and his evolving faith.
• "Fear to hope"—the challenge of holding onto hope when the world is falling apart.
• Why fear should be faced rather than suppressed.
• The spiritual wisdom of encountering fear: “When Jesus scared his disciples, it was for their good.”
• The difference between being reckless, cowardly, or courageous—all of which share the common state of fear.

The Ukrainian Perspective on Global Politics

• How Ukraine perceives the shifting stance of U.S. foreign policy.
• The impact of Zelenskyy’s visit to the Oval Office and international reactions.
• The challenge of fighting for democracy when global powers redefine the terms of war.
• The fear that democratic values are no longer upheld by those who once championed them.

Biblical and Psychological Perspectives on Fear

• Mark’s Gospel and the fear of encountering God in unexpected ways.
• Fyodor quotes Carl Jung: "Where our fears lie, that is where change is most needed."
• Facing fear as a practice of faith and emotional resilience.
• The importance of naming fears, localizing them, and even “inviting them in for tea.”
• How unprocessed fear can lead to paralysis or aggression.

Living in the Present: The Antidote to Fear

• Why Fyodor refuses to postpone life until after the war.
• "We don’t know what tomorrow brings. So I live today, fully."
• A powerful response to fear: doing good, loving openly, and forgiving freely.
• The lesson of war: never get used to abnormal things.
• Holding onto humanity in the face of devastation.

Linked Media References

• Mark 6L: 45-52 Jesus Walks on Water
• Episode 110 of For the Life of the World A Voice from Kyiv
• Episode 138 of For the Life of the World / Ukrainian Pastor Speaks Out: Resist Evil, Be Present, and Remember How Little You Control
• Ukraine War Updates - BBC News

About Fyodor Raychynets

Fyodor Raychynets is a theologian and pastor in Kyiv, Ukraine. He is Head of the Department of Theology at Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary, where he teaches courses in Leadership and Biblical Studies, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. He studied with Miroslav Volf at Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek, Croatia.

Follow him on Facebook here.

Production Notes

• This podcast featured Fyodor Raychinets
• Edited and Produced by Evan Rosa
• Hosted by Evan Rosa
• Production Assistance by Macie Bridge, Alexa Rollow, Zoë Halaban, Kacie Barrett & Emily Brookfield
• A Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/about
• Support For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give