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 victorious right hand. - Isaiah 41:10
As a little girl, I remember being afraid of the dark and needing reassurance there was no such thing as the boogie man. And while I quickly out-grew those childhood fears, growing up did not prove to be a fear-free zone. In fact, entering adulthood ushers in a host of possible worries that can’t be easily chased away by a reassuring hug from mom and dad.
The fact is, the world is filled with a bounty of real scenarios that can cause us to fear—financial instability, terrorism, health issues, safety of loved ones—the list is endless. As human beings, we all have tendencies to worry. It’s reflected in our current culture as we near epidemic levels of anxiety. The solution, however, is not to escape from fear but to know how to face it.
This is where turning to God and claiming His promises is such a huge asset of faith. You see, God doesn’t want you to live in fear. He’s so emphatic about it that the words “do not be afraid” appear in the Bible 365 times—once for every day of the year. And, in Isaiah 41:10, God compels and invites you to rest your fears in Him. First, He tells you He is with you. You are not alone in facing your worries. God Himself is for you and closely by your side. Second, He reminds you of who He is—He is God—the Almighty, All-Powerful Sovereign. No circumstance is too challenging for Him. He is in control. And finally, He promises to strengthen you, help you, and hold you up through whatever you’re facing and whenever you are tempted to fear. You couldn’t have a better ally.
We were not made to live in fear. But trusting God through prayer and reliance on His Word can give us the freedom we need to live a life of faith—without fear.
CLOSING PRAYER
Father in heaven, we take all the things that burden our hearts and cause us to fear and we place them in Your caring hands, knowing and trusting that You can work in ways far beyond our control. We ask that you replace our anxious thoughts with Your truth and promises and quiet our distressed spirits with Your incomparable peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.