When I Am Afraid…
Psalm 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Let’s try something. Read the following sentences and fill in the blank:
The thing I fear most is _________.
When I am afraid I __________.
Fear makes me think about __________.
Fear initiates a reflexive reaction, whether it be a scream, a jump or a paralyzing effect that holds the person statue-still. That reflexive reaction is not something one ponders and plans, it happens automatically. It’s what is ‘programmed’ into the body and mind as the go-to response.
When something makes us afraid, we can experience panic and insecurity, uncertainty or mistrust and even complete terror. We might lose all sense of hope, security and direction. Fear can unnerve and disorient us. Even the strongest, most confident person can be derailed by fear.
When our children were little and something frightened them, we would see them running toward us and then wrapping themselves around our legs, seeking refuge and comfort. Storms or bad dreams brought them scurrying in, crawling between us, seeking safety under our covers, wrapped in our arms. But, how do they respond as adults?
We don’t want to numb our fears or ignore them. We can’t put on rose-colored glasses and pretend they’re not there. No, we need to face them. But when we do, we must face them with the confidence the Lord provides. We can’t conquer our fears, but God can! Friends, it’s so important to be intentional about how we allow ourselves to respond to fear and that we encourage our sons and daughters to respond appropriately. If we do not seek the Lord, we risk embracing false comforts that are shallow and even dangerous. How many people have we observed seeking comfort in a bottle or pill? How many try to quell their fears in dysfunctional relationships, only to find another form of fear and insecurity there?
Psalm 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
We need to work on our trust-response so that it becomes automatic -so we can say “when I am afraid I…. put my trust in God! … in God, whose word I praise!” And in order to praise God’s word, we need to know God’s Word in order to call it to mind. Intentional time with the Lord in His word prepares us well to face our fears with full trust in the Lord.
And, if we are trusting in the Almighty Sovereign God, really, what can mortal man do to us? We have the Creator of the Universe wrapping His arms of protection around us and He upholds us securely with His mighty, righteous right hand.
Let’s pray today that our sons and daughters:
Confront their fear by trusting in God- that He is the One they run to when they are afraid.
Confide in God and confess their deepest fears to Him- He has the power to overcome them.
Have confidence and trust in the Almighty to protect them from even their worst fears- what can mortal man do to them?
“Father, we confess, too often we allow our fears to control us. We give more power and attention to the things that frighten us than we do to You. Change our view, Lord. Turn our attention to You, Lord. When we are afraid, help us to fully believe in and have confidence in You to protect us. Build in daily reminders that would cause us to look to You. Let our automatic response become trust and confidence, not fear. You alone are our confidence and secure fortress, we have nothing to fear. Do not let us be intimidated by others who would bully, persecute or try to destroy us- they cannot harm us. We are Your children, set apart and sanctified, citizens of Your kingdom with an inheritance from You, our Father. I pray, today, that (name) would be confident in You, free from fear and intimidation. Help (name) to learn Your Word and look to You, trusting in You for their confidence and deliverance. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Therefore, We Will Not Fear
Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah”
Have you ever experienced a life event that shakes you? You feel as if the earth is crumbling and the very ground under your feet is collapsing. Life is turned upside down and nothing is certain. Fear becomes all-encompassing and with it, doubt about everything of which we were sure of just days before. …Though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea… our world crumbles around us and how will we survive it?
If that hasn’t happened, count yourself blessed, but, be ready. This life is difficult and God doesn’t promise it will be without trouble (John 16:33) But God gives us strength and hope to rest in Him because this world is not what we live for nor what we hope in. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear,...
Even if doubt and fear are present, God is ever-present. He is our refuge and our strength. He hides us and protects us. Doubt and fear are real. If we deny that, we’re lying to ourselves. And if we act with bravado, as if we’re in complete control and never experience doubt or fear, we’re lying to others. God knows we have doubt and fear. But He assures us that He is with us and able to conquer anything that might assault us. Let’s be real. Let’s be honest. Then, let’s be encouraged.
Here’s the thing… our focus has to be on Him, not on the turmoil. Note how Psalm 46:3 says “Selah”. What does that mean? It’s a musical term found in Scripture that means, stop, pause, be silent. God doesn’t want us to focus on the crumbling earth, falling mountains and raging sea, He wants us to focus on Him.
Psalm 46 creates a model for us to follow in desperate situations:
State what we know about God: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Remind ourselves of the surpassing nature of God’s attributes over anything in creation, time, and our life here: “Therefore (because He is our refuge, strength and ever-present help in trouble) WE WILL NOT FEAR, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
Then, be still before God and ponder His Supremacy: “Selah”. Ponder for more than a moment. Allow the peace of God to settle in.
Doubt and fear can paralyze us, but focusing on the power and protection of God can help us overcome the doubt and fear.
Today, let’s pray this scripture over our sons and daughters, asking the Lord to reassure them, encourage them and help them overcome their fear and doubt, no matter what they might face today or in the days to come.
Pray without ceasing.