Stopping the Fear Ferris Wheel

Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Don’t tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.

Isaiah 41:10 (CEV)

You’ve heard the statistics. But more importantly, you see it all around you: young people are stressing out. Anxiety—which is fear—is now listed as a bigger problem than bullying. And worrying can lead to depression, addictions, and all sorts of destructive behaviors.

The list of things to be afraid of, especially as a Military kid, is long. Too often, people tell you to just stop worrying. Sometimes you manage to force yourself to quit thinking about the bad and focus on the good. But not always.

What really stops worry in its tracks is to focus on someone else. And that someone is God. Real threats to your world exist. But a real God rules over it all. The Bible talks about a God who is all-loving and all-powerful. In this week’s verse, God says he is always with you. He promises to give you strength to get you through.

Not so sure about this? Take a dare: Ask God to reveal himself to you. And next time you find yourself going round and round on that Ferris wheel of fear, talk to the God who rules over all those fears. He’s sitting right beside you, after all!

SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING

Draw a circle on some paper or in a journal, and write your biggest fears inside it. Then surround the circle by writing things you know about God and his strength. Next time you feel yourself spinning in fear, return to this page and remind yourself of who God is and how he will help you through it!

INSPIRATION

“God promised that whatever you face, you are not alone. He knows your pain. He loves you. And He will bring you through the fire.”

—Sheila Walsh, Christian author and singer from Scotland

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: These additional verses will help you expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.

Joshua 1:9

Psalm 118:6

Philippians 4:6

2 Timothy 1:7