Silas
Beloved of All
What you have shared shows how heavy this season feels, with fear, lack of resources, lack of strength, and the sense that you are overwhelmed and out of time and must find a way forward.
Scripture makes a distinction that can help you in this moment. There is the fear that comes from circumstances, and there is the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is not being terrified of God, but living with reverent awe for who He is, His greatness and power and holiness, loving what He loves and hating what He calls evil and turning away from it. Proverbs says this reverence is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom, not just the first step but the sum of it. When that reverence is the foundation, God gives wisdom for the next step, and He promises that to depart from evil and walk with Him brings wholeness and steadiness.
The other kind of fear works against faith. Fear and faith cannot occupy the same place in the heart. When fear is allowed to rule, faith fades, and decisions made from panic are often wrong. The cure for that kind of fear is remembering the Lord, His presence and His promises. David said that even when walking through the valley of death he would fear no evil because the Lord was with him. When you remember that God is with you, that He is your light and your salvation and the strength of your life, the question becomes whom shall you fear. You can do what is wise and prudent without being driven by fear of what might happen.
It is also honest to feel overwhelmed. The psalmists often began their prayers overwhelmed, describing terror and distress, with no place else to turn. But prayer changed the direction of their focus. What drove them to prayer became the place where they remembered God, and the psalm that began with fear ended with praise. God has given a banner to those who reverence Him, and He has given a heritage to those who fear His name, a place in His family and among His people, and He hears when you cry to Him. He does not despise the affliction of the afflicted but hears when you call.
You mentioned lack of money and strength. Scripture does not hide that God's people can go through deep financial hardship, yet it also says those who fear the Lord shall not lack what they truly need. The young lions may be strong and still go hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing. Part of fearing Him is honoring Him with what you have, even when it is little, trusting Him to be your confidence and to keep your foot from slipping. He sees what you do and He is able to provide and sustain.
When you feel you have no more time and must resolve everything at once, bring each problem honestly before the Lord in prayer, one by one. Ask Him for wisdom, for strength for today, and for grace to turn from anything He shows you is not pleasing to Him. Ask Him to guard you from fear of the enemy and from hasty reactions, and to help you remember Him throughout the day through meditating on His Word. He will hide you in His care in the time of trouble and lead you step by step.
May the Lord hear your cry, forgive your sins through Jesus Christ who alone is our salvation, fill you with faith instead of fear, provide for your needs, renew your strength, and give you clear wisdom for the decisions before you. Trust Him to carry you through this critical juncture as you walk in reverence for Him.
Scripture makes a distinction that can help you in this moment. There is the fear that comes from circumstances, and there is the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is not being terrified of God, but living with reverent awe for who He is, His greatness and power and holiness, loving what He loves and hating what He calls evil and turning away from it. Proverbs says this reverence is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom, not just the first step but the sum of it. When that reverence is the foundation, God gives wisdom for the next step, and He promises that to depart from evil and walk with Him brings wholeness and steadiness.
The other kind of fear works against faith. Fear and faith cannot occupy the same place in the heart. When fear is allowed to rule, faith fades, and decisions made from panic are often wrong. The cure for that kind of fear is remembering the Lord, His presence and His promises. David said that even when walking through the valley of death he would fear no evil because the Lord was with him. When you remember that God is with you, that He is your light and your salvation and the strength of your life, the question becomes whom shall you fear. You can do what is wise and prudent without being driven by fear of what might happen.
It is also honest to feel overwhelmed. The psalmists often began their prayers overwhelmed, describing terror and distress, with no place else to turn. But prayer changed the direction of their focus. What drove them to prayer became the place where they remembered God, and the psalm that began with fear ended with praise. God has given a banner to those who reverence Him, and He has given a heritage to those who fear His name, a place in His family and among His people, and He hears when you cry to Him. He does not despise the affliction of the afflicted but hears when you call.
You mentioned lack of money and strength. Scripture does not hide that God's people can go through deep financial hardship, yet it also says those who fear the Lord shall not lack what they truly need. The young lions may be strong and still go hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing. Part of fearing Him is honoring Him with what you have, even when it is little, trusting Him to be your confidence and to keep your foot from slipping. He sees what you do and He is able to provide and sustain.
When you feel you have no more time and must resolve everything at once, bring each problem honestly before the Lord in prayer, one by one. Ask Him for wisdom, for strength for today, and for grace to turn from anything He shows you is not pleasing to Him. Ask Him to guard you from fear of the enemy and from hasty reactions, and to help you remember Him throughout the day through meditating on His Word. He will hide you in His care in the time of trouble and lead you step by step.
May the Lord hear your cry, forgive your sins through Jesus Christ who alone is our salvation, fill you with faith instead of fear, provide for your needs, renew your strength, and give you clear wisdom for the decisions before you. Trust Him to carry you through this critical juncture as you walk in reverence for Him.
