Am I Not Afraid? by Esther Florence
A famous quote: "Fear has two meanings ‘Forget Everything And Run’ or ‘Face Everything And Rise.’ During these days of the pandemic, a very common phrase that I hear is “I am afraid” or “I am scared” or “I do not know what will happen tomorrow.” To be more precise, the fear of death, the fear of the unknown, or the fear of what next.
It is extraordinary…we have not seen anything of this kind, at least in our generation, and we are clueless. As children of God, we are encouraging ourselves but are we free from fear yet? Somewhere deep inside, there is a strong fear…what if this happens or what if that happens. There are so many thoughts crowding our minds, for most of which we do not have answers. We are in a ‘panic’ mode, worried, anxious, doubtful; like Peter, we are looking at the increasing numbers, the growing unrest in the country, the strange situations happening the world over, and like Peter, we are crying out ‘Lord save us.’ See the calm answer of the master…“Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and rescued him. 'O man of little faith,' Jesus said. 'Why did you doubt me?' (Matthew 5:31). I think that is what we all lack. Jesus expects us to walk on water, to do the impossible, to do exploits for Him. But here we are, looking at the wind and the waves, losing our gaze on the Master, and slowly sinking in our doubts, our fears, and our anxious thoughts. Reach out to the Master and begin to walk on water again. He created you to do great things for Him, not to sink in the mire of your own worries. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you. Leave it there. Do not carry it back.
2 Timothy 1:7 says, "God has not given us a spirit of power, but of power and of love and a sound mind.”
When Fear Strikes You, Face Fear Head-On
I am very sure that Daniel was afraid of lions and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were afraid of fire. They were humans after all. But they trusted their God more than their fears, they faced their fears head-on and the results were amazing!
I would like to place before you four things you can do to strengthen your faith every time you are afraid.
First, turn your eyes upon Jesus. Stop looking at the wind and the waves. He is your creator, the one who will sustain you, the only one whom you can blindly rely on! Every time fear tries to creep in, Hebrews 13:6. “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What will man do unto me?”
Second, seek the Lord’s help. Ask, and you will receive it. Place specific requests before God. You may need a solution to a problem, reconciliation in a relationship, wise counsel, or extra strength.
Third, memorize the Word of God and keep saying it when fear attacks you. For instance, in Isaiah 41:10, the Lord promises His power, His presence, His protection, and His provision. Stand on the promises of God, you will not stumble.
Finally, have fellowship with others who will pray for you. James 5:16 says Pray for one another. Though we are all isolated in our homes, we have enough technology to keep in touch and encourage each other.
I am reminded of this incident that I read about in the life of D.L. Moody: “Once he was traveling by boat on one of the Great Lakes when a terrible storm developed. The other passengers on the boat cowered in fear. They even started an impromptu prayer meeting, asking God to deliver them from the storm. Moody did not join in this prayer meeting. When asked why not, he answered with these words, “I have a sister in Chicago and one in heaven, and I don’t care which I see tonight.” (Source Unknown, Lou Nicholes – Missionary/Author)
“Sometimes the Lord calms the storm. Sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child.” (Unknown)
Dear Child of God, are you afraid? Fear not, because the God of Heaven and Earth is by your side. He has engraved you in His palms, and nothing will happen in your life without His permission. Trust in Him. Cling on to Him. He is faithful.