Have you ever been scared of something? I mean, truly terrified?  Bigger than the spider or mouse scampering across the kitchen floor.  Or the peanut butter that somehow gets stuck in the roof of your mouth… 

I mean we all have had moments throughout our life that a situation that was out of our control gripped our hearts and emotions. Right? Personally, I can give all kinds of examples as a kid growing up and even into being a dad of three and holding those babies for the first time!  You parents out there know what I’m talking about! My first kid (who is now 20) was born unable to breathe, pail blue in the hands of the nurses as they were frantically running around, my wife struggling not to pass out…  Yeah, moments like that where you feel no control over the situation.  FEAR!

With all that is daily being said in conversations and blasted across all forms of media lately, I keep coming back to this thought… Fear always comes in tandem with the moments when we feel the least amount of control. Wouldn’t you agree?  At least this seems to be the case…just look at the lack of TP on some of the shelves out there recently!  People scrambling for some sort of control over the situation. Too often fear drives us toward the illogical or irrational because our imagination gets the best (or worst) of us. Believing that what is out there lurking in the dark will somehow find it’s way in here and cause us harm. Can anyone relate?

I’m so glad that scripture speaks into our human condition!  When we’re wanting desperately to know in a given situation that someone or something is watching out for us, a prophetic voice speaks up in the Old Testament with thoughts full of hope relaying the heart of God to His people…Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Today, no matter what is creating the anxiety in your thoughts, know that you are not alone.  God is with you to comfort and strengthen you. Take a deep breath, exhale the fear and let faith fill your heart.  God hasn’t given a spirit of fear…the Apostle Paul said we have a spirit of power. Of love.  A sound mind!