Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing this and for asking for prayer. It is completely understandable to feel unsettled and afraid when there are loud noises, burning, and gunshots nearby, especially when you are concerned not only for yourself but for your mother and for your neighbors.
The Bible makes a distinction that can help steady the heart in times like this. There is a fear that overwhelms us when we focus on what might happen around us, and there is a different kind of fear, a reverent awe of God, that actually brings stability. That reverence for the Lord is described as the beginning and the sum of true wisdom. It means loving what God loves and hating what is evil, and living with a deep awareness of who He is, His greatness and His power and His goodness. When that reverence is in place, other fears begin to find their proper size.
Fear often grows when our attention is fixed on the threat itself, and it can push us toward reactions that are not wise or helpful. Faith and fear do not live well together. Where one is allowed to take over, the other fades. The cure the Scriptures point to again and again is to remember the Lord and to become conscious of His presence with you. David said, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. It is the awareness that God is present that drives fear away. You may not always feel that presence, but He is with you.
That does not mean we ignore what is wise and prudent. Scripture says the horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety belongs to the Lord. We take sensible steps for protection and we can seek help from proper authorities if there is real danger, yet our deepest confidence is not in those measures but in the Lord Himself. Another promise says, do not be afraid of sudden fear or of the trouble that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. And we are reminded that perfect love casts out fear, because fear brings torment, but knowing and resting in the perfect love of God through Jesus Christ quiets the heart and gives boldness even in uncertain days.
I am praying for you and for your mother, that God will guard you, calm your hearts, and keep you in His peace. I am also praying for your neighbors, that the Lord would watch over them, restrain what is harmful, and draw them toward what is good and right. May He make His presence very real to you, help you to rest in His love, and be your confidence and protection as you abide in Christ. In Jesus name, amen.
The Bible makes a distinction that can help steady the heart in times like this. There is a fear that overwhelms us when we focus on what might happen around us, and there is a different kind of fear, a reverent awe of God, that actually brings stability. That reverence for the Lord is described as the beginning and the sum of true wisdom. It means loving what God loves and hating what is evil, and living with a deep awareness of who He is, His greatness and His power and His goodness. When that reverence is in place, other fears begin to find their proper size.
Fear often grows when our attention is fixed on the threat itself, and it can push us toward reactions that are not wise or helpful. Faith and fear do not live well together. Where one is allowed to take over, the other fades. The cure the Scriptures point to again and again is to remember the Lord and to become conscious of His presence with you. David said, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. It is the awareness that God is present that drives fear away. You may not always feel that presence, but He is with you.
That does not mean we ignore what is wise and prudent. Scripture says the horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety belongs to the Lord. We take sensible steps for protection and we can seek help from proper authorities if there is real danger, yet our deepest confidence is not in those measures but in the Lord Himself. Another promise says, do not be afraid of sudden fear or of the trouble that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. And we are reminded that perfect love casts out fear, because fear brings torment, but knowing and resting in the perfect love of God through Jesus Christ quiets the heart and gives boldness even in uncertain days.
I am praying for you and for your mother, that God will guard you, calm your hearts, and keep you in His peace. I am also praying for your neighbors, that the Lord would watch over them, restrain what is harmful, and draw them toward what is good and right. May He make His presence very real to you, help you to rest in His love, and be your confidence and protection as you abide in Christ. In Jesus name, amen.
