“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”—Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
As a child I feared so many things. My main fear was of the dark. Before tucking us in at night, my mother would turn a small night light on. It illuminated part of our room and exaggerated the shadows.
My childish imagination created scary images from everyday objects in our bedroom. If something had been moved in our room, my fear ran rampant, creating monstrous shapes. I’d huddle underneath the covers, occasionally peeking out to see if anything had moved. Even if everything was the same, my heart still beat rapidly, as I waited for something to pounce.
It was almost a nightly ritual. I’d holler for my mother, telling her I was thirsty. Patiently, she’d bring me a drink of water. The next morning, my fear would be brought to light when I couldn’t see the shadows or could identify the mysterious object as something real.
Fear of the Unknown
Did you know fear can be our enemy or a friend? Fear of the unknown, like shadows in the dark, can take us places we never planned. Like hiding under the covers to escape my imaginative monsters, our fears can control our every move and decision. But much of what we spend our time worrying about never happens. If we live with the “what if’s,” we’ll always dwell in fear.
However, fear can be our friend if we live realistically. I came across an article titled “8 Survival Tips That Could Save Your Life.” The article is about being prepared for emergencies. Examples included surviving a house fire, choking on food when you’re alone, helping someone survive a heart attack, and getting lost on a hike. What do they have in common? Being prepared.
We can’t prepare for those things over which we have no control, but we can turn to scripture for comfort and peace. Can we control the economy, unemployment, disease, wars, natural disasters, terrorism, and other people’s choices that affect us? No. The list could go on because there are many things we could probably worry about. Instead of worrying and being fearful, we can give it to God.
Give Your Fears to God
Fear of the dark as a child was replaced by bigger fears when I became an adult. I was fearful of and anxious about making a mistake, being embarrassed, my children’s safety, and not having enough money.
When I gave my life to the Lord and began reading the Bible over 20 years ago, my fears gradually faded. It didn’t happen overnight. But the more I studied scripture and trusted God, fear and anxiety no longer dominated my life.
Philippians 4:6-7 became one of my favorite go-to scriptures. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
What God Can Do
God’s Holy Word can replace your fears with peace. He can transform your fears and weaknesses and use them for His glory. Remember the disciples’ actions when Jesus was arrested?
In fear, Peter denied Jesus three times. Because of their fears, the other disciples ran away and hid. But God redeemed and used their fear for His purposes: to carry out the Great Commission.
Isaiah 41:10 is a great reminder to not fear for He is with us. He is our God. He strengthens us and helps us, upholding us with His righteous right hand. Just as He was with His disciples during their times of fear and trials, He will never leave us nor forsake us. In the light of His love, we can release our fears because “perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18).
I always love hearing from my readers. Please feel free to leave a comment below or email me at carol@carolaround.com. Also, if this blog post has touched you, would you please share it with others on Facebook or Twitter? It is the greatest gift you can give a writer.
Photo credit: thestorypedia.com
I am thankful to be able to give my fears to God. He provides comfort and peace.
Yes, I am, too, Melissa! He is a peace giver. Blessings always!
Carol, amazing that you were given the subject of “handling our fears” to share with us today! I am guilty of fear of making a wrong decision in a pretty important matter. Helpful! Timely! Encouraging! Bless you.
Thank you for letting me know, Betty. I am always amazed at how God’s Holy Spirit leads me to the topic He wants me to write about each week. I pray before I write each time, asking Him to give me the words He wants me to use to reach the people He wants me to reach. In HIS grip, always!