Hope That EnduresSample

Lord, I'm Afraid

Have you ever had fear overwhelm you to the point where that’s all you can think about? It flavors every aspect of your life. I remember one time when that happened to me, and I couldn’t stop the flood of tears even though I was in a public place.

It started with a routine eye exam that went downhill quickly. The doctor gave me a concerned look and said, “Does anyone in your family have glaucoma? The pressures in your eyes are up.”

His question—and my answer that I had two family members with it—led to additional tests, and it was discovered that I’d already lost vision in one eye. The nurse tried to reassure me, “You’ll be fine. Glaucoma is a disease of decades. The doctor will give you drops, and that usually takes care of it for most people.”

Turns out I wasn’t most people. The first drops didn’t work. Neither did the second. Or the third. The doctor kept trying until I’d gone through all the drops, without success. Then he started me on combinations to see if that would work. As time went on and nothing helped, my fear grew. One of my cousins is blind in one eye and has lost a lot of sight in the other one, so I realized the seriousness of my situation.

Are you afraid of what you’ll face tomorrow or further in the future? God has already been there, and He knows what lies ahead.

One night when my husband and I had gone out to dinner, I went to the restroom, and it suddenly hit me—if I lost my sight, how would I find my way to the bathroom? How would I manage by myself to find the stall, the toilet paper, the sink, and the paper towels? How would I be able to find my way anywhere? Full-fledged panic erupted, and I stood in the stall and cried as all the fear I’d kept bottled inside me for months was released.

And then God reminded me of His precious promises. In Psalm 56:3, He says, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” And in Proverbs 20:12, God says, “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made them both.”

Dear one, what ignites your fear? Your situation might be completely different than mine, but we all experience the emotions of overwhelming fear and the questioning in our hearts of “How am I going to get through this?” We often even rehearse all the “what-ifs” in our minds.

God made us, so He understands our weaknesses and our concerns. That’s why He put so many verses about overcoming fear in the Bible. I don’t know what the future holds for my vision, and I don’t know what it holds for you in your situation. But I do know this: The One who made us knows what’s best for us, and He will be with us no matter what we must experience.

Are you afraid of what you’ll face tomorrow or further in the future? God has already been there, and He knows what lies ahead. Are you afraid you won’t have what you need? God promises to supply your needs according to His riches in glory. Are you afraid you won’t be able to conquer the issues that you’ll encounter? The Bible says that He is more than a conqueror.

Prayer

Father, I’m afraid. Gut-wrenching, overwhelmed, can’t-catch-my-breath afraid. The unknown of the days that lie ahead consumes me. I’m so grateful that You know what’s best for me—even when I don’t—and that none of the days ahead come as any surprise to You. Thank You for the gift of my Bible and for the precious promises found there that I can cling to when fear hits me. Even more, thank You for being a faithful God. Forgive me for forgetting that so often. Amen.

Reflection Questions

1. Fear can overtake your life. What are some circumstances where you’ve been hit by fear?

2. What promises found in God’s Word can help you overcome that fear?

3. God made you, so He understands you. He knows what lies ahead in your life. How does that impact you?

Reach the World Around You

God put numerous verses about fear (and fear not) in the Bible. Next time fear overwhelms you, get some index cards and start writing those verses along with the reference. Write one on each index card. Once your fear-filled situation is past, think of someone else who is going through a scary time. Punch a hole in your Bible-promise-filled index cards, tie them together with a pretty ribbon or string, and take them to your friend or loved one to encourage him or her.