Fighting Fear: The Peace in Remembering God's Present Help
Last night, I can’t remember what I was thinking about, but I remember that I was feeling afraid. Probably about some upcoming circumstances that I wanted to go well, but was afraid wouldn’t go well. That’s when an old familiar scripture came to mind, “Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
I ended on that note as I fell asleep, and this morning came across the story in Matthew 8, where Jesus and his disciples are on a boat crossing the lake. Suddenly, there is a massive storm and the disciples freak out—they think they’re going to drown. (And who can blame them… it says the waves were sweeping over the boat!) Jesus is sound asleep, napping after healing a massive crowd of people. They wake Jesus up with their fears and he immediately asks them, “Why are you so afraid?” He settles the storm back to stillness, simply by speaking.
What stands out to me about this story is that the disciples had just witnessed Jesus heal person after person. They knew he was capable of mighty things, and yet, when the storm came, it’s like fear wiped their memory clean. Jesus called this phenomenon what it was: a lack of faith. If you’re anything like me, you hear that and might think it sounds a little harsh… but remember how Jesus is described in John 1:14… as one full of grace and truth. With grace I’m sure, he loved the disciples enough to give them an honest description of what was going on in their hearts.
God doesn’t want us to fear. In fact, he took enough care to talk about fear many, many times throughout the Bible. The command “do not fear” is written in the Bible 365 times! (That’s right... once for every day of the year.) And please, don’t be too hard on yourself when you feel anxious or afraid; it’s a common condition of mankind. Instead, find joy in knowing there are truths we can repeat back to ourselves that calm us and remind us of what’s really true.
Let’s take a look at a few of the verses that discuss fear, and I wonder if you’ll notice a theme as we go. There is a common thread throughout so many of these scriptures that is both prominent and crucial. Just a warning: I’m going to share quite a few to illustrate just how consistent the message is. ;)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Psalm 46:1-3
For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13
'So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.' Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Geneseis 50:21
You shall not fear them, for it is the LORD your God who fights for you. Deuteronomy 3:22
You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. Psalm 115:11
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
Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the LORD, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. Jeremiah 42:1
You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’ Lamentations 3:57
So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me? Hebrews 13:6
Do you see here what the antidote of fear is? Remembering that God is with us. That he helps us. That he will provide for us. He strengthens us. He is our shield. He saves us. He is near. The list goes on…
Next time you feel afraid, you can remind yourself of these things. Notice when you’re afraid. Whether it’s a doctor’s impending diagnosis, a presentation at work, or if you’re just afraid you’re going to lose your patience with your kids… you can say to yourself: “God is with me. He is a real help when I’m in trouble. I can go to him. I can trust him.” And ask your loving Father in heaven for help! (More on asking for help here.)
What this has looked like for me, was having some notecards next to my bed as I was getting near to my labor due date. When I was nervous about having my second baby, I think I read Isaiah 41:10 about one hundred times. It’s no wonder that it popped into my head the other night… repeating scripture back to yourself buries it deep in your heart and is there to pull on as we walk through the daily moments of life.
You have a Heavenly Father who loves you and is truly present. He walks with us in life and holds the power in his hands to help us, comfort us, and provide all we need.
**Did this encourage you? Let me know with a “like” or comment below… or share with a friend who may be blessed!
