“The LORD is for me; I WILL NOT FEAR; What can man do to me?” (Psa. 118:6)
At some point, we’ve all experienced fear — that feeling when your heart is racing out of control, your palms are sweating, you’re short of breath and your digestive track goes into spasms. Fear has real effects on the body, and these effects are meant to protect us from danger. In day to day life, a small amount of fear may be beneficial, in that it keeps us on our toes and motivated. However, when fear and insecurity conceal common sense, these unhealthy thought processes can cloud our judgement and prevent us from realizing our goals. So, WHAT DO WE DO when we feel fear?
“I AM…now the Lord who created you, O Israel, says: Don’t be afraid, for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; YOU ARE MINE. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up—the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, your Savior, the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 43:1-3)
Reading each one of these words slowly, God shows us something: our fears are like flames and our efforts to protect ourselves is like gasoline. Every attempt we make to ease our fears is like throwing fuel on the fire, and it will consume us. Listen to this gentle reminder from the Holy Spirit…
“For God has not given us THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; but of POWER, and of LOVE, and of a SOUND MIND.” (2 Tim. 1:7)
THANK YOU, ABBA FATHER, YOU GIVE US POWER TO OVERCOME FEAR…
-Bill Stockham