Turn fear to faith
Wednesday 17th October 2018
'God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid.' Isaiah 12:2 NKJV
Sometimes fear can be useful. When we are in physical danger, fear acts as an alarm that something's wrong and that we need to get help or get out! Also, the Bible mentions fearing God; see Psalm 111:5, Ecclesiastes 12:13 and Proverbs 14:27 for some examples - there are many more. This doesn't mean we're to be scared of God. Instead, it means we should respect him and his will.
The Bible also talks about the fear that overwhelms us and negatively affects the way we live our lives. Most of us have some area of fear we want to break free from. If we try to break free in our own strength, we'll find it very difficult, if not impossible. We need to do it in God's strength. When the Bible talks about this type of fear, it's in the context of 'do not fear', or 'don't be afraid', or 'God calmed my fears' (find examples in Psalm 34:4, Isaiah 41:10 or Joshua 1:9). InPsalm 56:3 (NIV) David wrote: 'When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise - in God I trust and am not afraid.'
When we feel frightened, for whatever reason, it's best to tell God and resolve to turn our fear into faith and trust in him.
So what now? If you're struggling with fear, it might be a good idea to speak to a trusted friend or tell your pastor about it. Ask them to join you in asking God to draw close and fill you with his peace.
Wednesday 17th October 2018
'God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid.' Isaiah 12:2 NKJV
Sometimes fear can be useful. When we are in physical danger, fear acts as an alarm that something's wrong and that we need to get help or get out! Also, the Bible mentions fearing God; see Psalm 111:5, Ecclesiastes 12:13 and Proverbs 14:27 for some examples - there are many more. This doesn't mean we're to be scared of God. Instead, it means we should respect him and his will.
The Bible also talks about the fear that overwhelms us and negatively affects the way we live our lives. Most of us have some area of fear we want to break free from. If we try to break free in our own strength, we'll find it very difficult, if not impossible. We need to do it in God's strength. When the Bible talks about this type of fear, it's in the context of 'do not fear', or 'don't be afraid', or 'God calmed my fears' (find examples in Psalm 34:4, Isaiah 41:10 or Joshua 1:9). InPsalm 56:3 (NIV) David wrote: 'When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise - in God I trust and am not afraid.'
When we feel frightened, for whatever reason, it's best to tell God and resolve to turn our fear into faith and trust in him.
So what now? If you're struggling with fear, it might be a good idea to speak to a trusted friend or tell your pastor about it. Ask them to join you in asking God to draw close and fill you with his peace.
