The Answer for Fear James McDonald Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4, ESV). We have nothing to fear—and yet we do fear. We need an answer for our uncertainties. In this Psalm, David said, “I will fear no evil.” But he didn’t just make a bold claim, he gave a reason: “for you are with me.” The confidence he experienced as he faced the future rested in a God who never fails as our Good Shepherd. What do you fear as you’re going through a valley? It may not be the valley itself, but what’s coming afterward. The parents who receive news that their unborn child will have special needs—it’s not just the valley they think about, it’s the rest of life. Or someone whos just been diagnosed with a chronic illness—it’s not the news today, it’s tomorrow and next week. The worry of, What will happen to me? Will I be okay? The unknown results and outcomes may drive your fears. But there is an alternative. In the depth of the valley, you do not have to fear the future. You don’t have to worry about your reputation or having your needs met or being alone. David knew the answer for today’s and tomorrow’s fears was, “you are with me.” If you had 24 hours to live, what would you do? Nothing comes into your life but what Almighty God allows. Sometimes He says, I will let her go through that. She will draw down upon My strength. Allow it. God may also say, No. Don’t allow that. It will overwhelm him. He is not ready. Nothing comes into your life that God doesn’t already know about. And since He is with you, you don’t have to fear. Notice how David shifted his attention in this verse from talking about the Shepherd to talking to the Shepherd, “For you are with me” (emphasis added). Too many Christians want the benefit of claiming “God is with me,” but spend too little time talking to the God who is with them. Can fear be avoided entirely? Probably not. But Scripture gives us an alternative plan that prepares for and responds to fear. Psalm 56:3 says, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Gods Word gives us hope when we find ourselves overtaken by fear. Instead of wallowing in it, we can put our trust in Him. We can deliberately turn away from fear and toward the Lord. This affirmation is also found in Isaiah 12:2, “I will trust, and will not be afraid.” Why wait for fears to come before you decide to trust God? Practice trusting Him as a daily exercise—spend time in His Word and in prayer. When you do, you may not even notice how many fears you’ll simply pass by, because your attention will be on the One who is not threatened by anything. If you’ve become accustomed to the “when-I’m-afraid-I-will-trust” approach, this word is especially for you. It’s time to practice greater confidence in your Shepherd today—“I will trust, and will not be afraid”—and live in the place of ultimate victory. Journal Why is it better to trust and not be afraid, than to approach life with a when-I-am-afraid-I-will-trust attitude? What is happening in your life right now that can drive you to trust God first? Pray Father, I confess that sometimes my fears reveal I’m not trusting You as I know I should, but am trusting in something or someone else instead. Thank You for reminding me just how fragile everything else is compared with You. Thank You for never leaving or forsaking me—for never letting me down and always proving Yourself trustworthy. Help me to trust You increasingly and banish fears from my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Apr 2014 18:58:30 +0000