What Are You Scared Of?
The world / man
'When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord , whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? ' Psalms 56:3-4,10-11
while i would love to say that i have no fears, that would be a big fat lie. there have been a few occasions that i got hurt pretty badly and could not do much to take care of my family - physically i could not protect them if a situation arose where i needed to defend them; financially when i was unable to work; how do i keep my family together when my life was spiraling out of control.
while surfing, and i may have shared this previously, i have at times thought about getting pounded badly, held down with no air, and possibly not making it. other times, my mind would wander if sharks were around and what would i do if i saw one or if it attacked.
the psalmist reminds us that there’s no need to fear man when we place our trust in God. even when we are afraid, we must focus on The Lord, The Word of God, to offer Him praise.
i believe when you take your eyes off of Jesus, you allow negative thoughts and the ‘nightmares’ (fears) you had as a child or as an adult creep in, taking away your joy and peace.
when we allow panic and anxiety to take hold, instead of clasping onto our Savior’s hands firmly, we let go and start grasping for anything that seems safe. instead of reaching for the large branch that can hold us, we grab onto the twig that easily snaps, denying us the security we seek and so desperately need in those difficult, uncertain times.
i know it may sound silly about the thoughts i have while surfing, but it does happen. what i do in those moments is to not let my thoughts get the best of me. pray, often, turn my thoughts to God’s promises - Jesus will never leave nor forsake me, and know that He is my protector, the Spirit of God is my companion and guide. then take some deep breaths and let the peace of God come over me.
dear Heavenly Father, thank you for always being there for my family and i. that in times of distress and fear, you comfort us as any parent would for their children. i appreciate your peace, your joy, your love Lord. may we always trust and hold onto you. in Jesus’ name i pray, amen!