Psalm 118:5-6

Out of my distress I called on the LORD;
the LORD answered me and set me free.

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?

How can you turn to God when you are afraid?

1. Remember that God is in control … and He has been through history.

Isaiah 46:9-11 says:

“Remember your history, your long and rich history. I am God, the only God you’ve had or ever will have – incomparable, irreplaceable –

From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be,

All along letting you in on what is going to happen,

Assuring you, ‘I’m in this for the long haul, I’ll do exactly what I set out to do.'”

Sometimes Bible Stories are hard to understand after all those people lived in a different time in history in a different culture, yet what they do display is God’s faithfulness. God can be trusted. One of the best things we can do when we’re afraid is to lift our eyes off the scary things around us and imagine God in heaven, sitting on his throne, in complete control. Then, with this image in our minds, the next best thing we can do is pray. Sometimes God will change the situation, but if we’re open to it God will always change our hearts.

2. Remember that God is taking care of things more than we can see or know.

As physical beings, we often what to see physical answers, but I’m always amazed when time passes and I discover amazing God was working behind the scenes, answering my prayers in greater ways than I could ever imagine. One example is the adoption of our kids. God put adoption on my heart, and I was so discouraged when things didn’t move as quickly as I’d hoped. I feared that we wouldn’t be able to grow our family in this way. I feared all my prayers were falling on deaf ears.

Yet, after we met the children that I now called mine, I know that my waiting-time made it possible for their need for our family and our desire for more children to intersect. And as we both share about our fear-filled times of waiting that God was at work all along. He heard my prayers, and He heard theirs, too. God was caring for all of us by forcing us to wait. His behind-the-scenes work was for our greater good.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the comforting reminder–you, the Lord of heaven and of earth, are on my side. How quick I am to doubt your providence and plan, even though you always answer my prayers and bring me through every trial. Take away my fear and give me the confidence and strength that can only come from you. I love you so much and am so grateful to be your child!

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