“And the Lord appeared to Isaac the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father; fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your descendants for my servant Abraham’s sake.” Genesis 26:24
“Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
A day or two ago, I happened to be in the living room as the afternoon TV broadcast of the national news began. The headlines featured one terrible event after another, from natural disaster, to multi-fatality accident to war and brutality around the world. I felt a deep sadness for those directly affected, as well as realizing that all humanity is affected by such events. I thought of the fear and terror experienced by those in the midst of these circumstances.
Most people, at least adults, just hate to admit they are afraid of just about anything. The way we express ourselves tells of our reluctance to talk about fear. We might “be very concerned” or “feel a little anxious” or be “hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.” But to just say we’re afraid? That’s pretty hard to do. When your child comes crying in the night after waking from a bad dream, or comes running to you when lightning flashes and thunder rolls, you’re the one who gives comfort and makes the scariness go away. So where do we turn when we get bad news, or forces beyond our control threaten all that we hold dear? God knows what is in our hearts, and what goes through our minds at the darkest of moments, and we can pour out all our fears to the one who is our loving father and creator.
It may well feel awkward for modern-day people to sit down and truly express to God what worries or frightens them, to wonder what lies ahead, and to look for strength to face a crisis. The great blessing in finding ways to cope with our fears is that we don’t have to do it alone. God sends us help in so many ways. It might be a friend or family member who visits with you, or a neighbor or co-worker who wishes you well and offers encouragement. Whether we’re angry with God and unable to understand why the forces of evil seem so strong in this world, or we’re paralyzed with fear and feel helpless to even think, much less do anything, we need to look around for those helpers who are here beside us. They usually don’t even realize they’re doing a “godly thing” but they are, and they make a difference.
We may think we don’t hear God’s voice directly telling us to “fear not, for he is with us” but it’s there — when we are strengthened as part of our faith community, when we are touched by a song of trust and faith, when we find that peace within that only God can give. To “fear not” is a state of mind and spirit we may not be able to constantly achieve and maintain, but we can keep going back to the assurance, “for I am with you.”
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers