by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
I could say, “Have you ever been afraid?,” but that would be
a silly question.
Of course, we have all faced fear at some time in our lives.
The news we hear daily from various sources promotes anxiety.
The “what-if’s” can plague our souls. World events and
political division can create chaotic thoughts of disaster.
Fear is an enemy to our mental stability and physical
health.
Here are 4 effects of fear:
1. Fear paralyzes and disrupts decision making. When we
are not thinking clearly, we grasp at whatever sounds good at the moment and
act impulsively.
2. Fear divides. Political climates, social media, and
news reports all contain various opinions. Escalated emotions can lead to
fights and violence either physically or verbally.
3. Fear overrides hope. When we look at circumstances
through the lens of discouragement, we see no resolution to the problem.
4. Fear defeats success. When dread is the prominent
thought, there is no room for productivity or creativity. With no hope for the
future there is no motivation for growth.
God tells us time after time in His Word to fear not. Of course, He knows the frailty of our humanness and He knew we would face situations that cause alarm. That’s why He gave us His Word as our weapon to combat fear.
King David faced hopeless situations more than once. When he
and his men experienced the loss of their families, David’s response was to
encourage himself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6).
Another psalmist wrote, Why
are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God
for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God. (Psalm 43:6 NKJV)
The Lord’s promises don’t depend upon a nation’s economy,
political climate, or a leader’s decisions. His Word stands true no matter what
happens in the world around us.
We can learn from David’s example and encourage ourselves in
the Lord by following these 5 remedies to the agitation that can plague our
souls:
1. Prayer – stay in fellowship with God. Not just to ask
Him to take away the afflicting thing, but to fellowship with Him in praise and
thanksgiving for who He is—the Almighty, the Omniscient, the King of the
universe.
2. Provision of God – He provides for our needs so we
shouldn’t panic when prices soar, or supply chains are slow or empty for a time
(Philippians 4:19).
3. Protection of God – He gives us His angels to guard
and protect us (Psalm 91).
4. Power of God – He is able to do abundantly more than
we can ask or think as long as we depend on the power that dwells within us (Ephesians
3:20).
5. Promises of God –God tells us He will never leave us
or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Living in anxiety and worry will not make any problem go
away. Trusting the Lord means walking with Him and depending upon Him for
answers. Standing on these Scriptures in faith puts the power where we need it.
As we learn to live in the identity Christ gave us, we will
be able to resist the devil’s tactics more easily because we will be able to
recognize that none of this dismay comes from God.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts.
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