Fear and AnxietyУзорак

The great comforter

Fear and anxiety have become common issues these days. Many of us are uncertain and afraid of what’s happening in the world around us. Whether it be global issues or personal trials, fear and anxiety can easily creep in and take root. As followers of Christ, we are not immune from this. In John 16:33, Jesus warned us that we would have trouble, telling us: ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’

Notice that Jesus doesn’t tell us that the trials will go away or that we won’t feel fear or anxiety. He tells us that in Him, we can have peace! He tells us to take heart because He has overcome. We haven’t overcome. He has. We need God to overcome our fear and anxiety. We need to remember that, whilst God can break through any situation or stop any trial, He never promises us that He will.

In Psalm 94, the psalmist speaks of the joy God’s consolation gave him during great anxiety. God didn’t take away the anxiety, but He brought comfort and solace to him. We may never understand why God doesn’t always take away fears and anxieties. That doesn’t mean that we stop praying for it or that we stop seeking God in it. We keep praying and seeking and remind ourselves that He is with us. We remind ourselves that He is faithful and that His consolation brings peace and joy. And if we find ourselves facing fear and anxiety, we remind ourselves that we are not facing them alone but with the great overcomer.

Written by LEILA ARMSTRONG