Help Lord, I’m Freaking Out!

When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?… (Psalm 56:3)

Fear is the untamed monster that rears its ugly head and compels otherwise peaceful people to react in ways contrary to their rational beliefs. Take for example a crowded room where someone shouts “fire!” Even in the absence of flame and smoke, people have a panic reaction and start bolting for the nearest exit. It’s natural to fear and sometimes even necessary. It’s when fear becomes our modus operandi that we begin to filter life events through a faulty method causing our decisions and reactions to run amuck. God never intended for us to be dominated by fear; fear is the devil’s playground. How can we overcome the debilitating effects of fear gone wild? Psalm 56:3 offers an answer. When you are afraid: 1) Trust in the Lord: God’s sovereignty controls all that touches your life. You are not a victim of your world but rather a blood-bought child of God, a child of the Most High King. The same God whose eye is on the sparrow has set His eyes on you. (Matthew 10:29-31). 2) Worship the Lord: Praising God in worship dispels the darkness, refocusing your spirit and mind on the kindness of the Savior. (Isaiah 12:2). 3) Rejoice in the Lord: The Psalmist asks, “What can mere man do to me?” You are not bound by the constraints of man. You have been redeemed and made a conqueror; and not just an ordinary conqueror but more than a conqueror in the Name of Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:37). Don’t let the fear of man, the shift in culture or the instability of world events freak you out! When you are tempted to fear, to doubt the goodness and sovereignty of God, remember Paul’s encouragement to the church; “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39).

Prayer
Heavenly Father, when I am afraid I will place my trust in You. You hold my future in Your hands and in You I find refuge and hope. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ in Whose Name I pray and am secure, Amen.