Focus: A 6-Day Interactive Devotional On Faith For Kids ናሙና

Knowing Jesus Can Help You Face Your Fears

Have you ever wondered why being scared makes your heart and breathing get faster? It’s pretty cool. Your body’s reaction to fear is called the “fight or flight response.”

Here’s how it works. 

Imagine you’re a caveman or a cavewoman thousands of years ago. (Go ahead and beat on your chest if it helps you get into character.) Now, imagine a hungry saber-toothed tiger drops by your cave for dinner. Want to know what’s on the menu? YOU. 

What do you do? 

1. Fight. Pick up the nearest club and battle it out with the tiger. 
2. Flight. Yell “What’s that over there? A hundred pounds of uneaten steak?!” to the tiger, hope he falls for it, and run. 

Your body has the same reaction whenever you feel fear. To prepare for fight or flight, a number of things happen so you’re ready for action or escape. Your heart rate speeds up to get more blood to your muscles and brain. Your lungs take in air faster to give your body more oxygen. Your pupils get larger so you can see better.

That’s incredible, right? 

There’s a guy we learn about in the Bible named Ananias, and he was in that exact place—the place where he had to choose between fight or flight.  

God told Ananias to go help Saul. Ananias was scared; he was a Jesus follower. Ananias didn’t know that Saul had become a Jesus follower. And based on what he’d heard about Saul, Ananias had really good reasons to run. 

But instead of running, Ananias told God that he was afraid. Here is God’s response:

“‘Go! I have chosen this man to work for me…’” (Acts 9:15).

God told Ananias to go, even though he was afraid. And Ananias went. He went because he knew that God would be with him. 

The Bible says that God is with us, too. 

THINK ABOUT IT

Have you ever had to face a fear? How do you think you would’ve felt in that situation, knowing God is with you?

Part of having faith means trusting that God is with us. Spend a few minutes talking to God. Tell Him that you’re thankful He’s always with you.