Overcoming Fear

Last week I accompanied my daughter and grandchildren to the pediatrician where the kids each got a shot.  My grandson was fine about it, but my granddaughter, who was fearful, cried.  When it was over she admitted she hadn’t felt a thing, and that it was all a big nothing, certainly not worth fretting about.

I think this speaks volumes to the human condition. We are afraid of so many things, most of which are like that shot, a big nothing. We indulge in “what if this” and “what if that” until we work ourselves into a lather.  But simply saying “there’s nothing to fear” didn’t cut it with my granddaughter, and it doesn’t cut it with us. So how do we stop worrying and being fearful? By replacing our fears with something or someone bigger. And that someone is God.

At least 365 times, in different wording, the Bible tells us not to fear. I think because God knows our weak frame, He gave us something for each day of the year. In its basic sense, fear is simply lack of faith, lack of trust in God, in Who He is and in what He says He can do. If we truly believed, our fears, for the most part, would vanish and be replaced by what the Bible calls the “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

This world will give us many opportunities to fret and fear, but the more we get to know God, get to know Who He is, the closer and more intimate our relationship becomes, the less we will be plagued by these “big nothings” and even when something sizable comes along, we will be able to face it with peace and confidence in knowing that our God is more than up to the challenge, and He will see us through.

Until next week,

Sylvia