Whether it's a near death experience, anxiety attacks, bad dreams, being home alone for the first time.. Fear is something we all have to deal with. And it sucks.
But there isn't a reason to be afraid.
Have you ever straight up sprinted up the stairs after turning off the lights downstairs? I know I did. I still do sometimes, not gonna lie.
I remember when I as little up until about my freshman year, I would have horrible anxiety attacks. I'd miss school because I had no sleep the night before. It got to the point where I wouldn't want to walk to my us stop because I thought someone would abduct me before I got to the stop.
Paranoid, much? Yeah, I was.
But after I started my relationship with Christ, all that went away. It was awesome.
I've been in a relationship with Christ for over a year now, and I've only had one anxiety attack since then.
(And the one I had was when I forgot my formula sheet for my FINAL. EXAM. for geometry. I failed.)
Fun Fact: The Bile says "Don't Be Afraid" 365 times.
Coincidence? Nahh. If God, the creator of literally everything, is with you always, what do you have to fear?
NOTHING. There is nothing that can harm you. Don't put His power in a box and put limits on it, because there is no limit to how much He loves you, so how could there be limits to how much He looks after you?
Something that always gave me comfort when I was afraid of something that happened in my life, I reminded myself that everything has a purpose. Everything happens for a reason. (Cliche, yes. But it's the truth.) And that always calmed me down. It allowed me to see past the chaos and see how it would help make everything work out in the future.
Whenever you find yourself afraid, stop. Stop what you're doing and pray. It's kinda like the whole Stop Drop and Role thing. (But I promise, you'll use this more than you use that. Or at least you should.)
Stop. Pray. Read.
Wanna know some of the 365 verses that tell us to not be afraid? Well, here ya go.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Deuteronomy 31:8
Genesis 35:17
Acts 18:9
Matthew 1:20
Jeremiah 42:11
Joshua 11:6
Daniel 10:19
Deuteronomy 20:1
John 14:1
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.“You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
I love this story. The fact that when Peter was afraid, He cried to the Lord for help. He didn't just try to swim back to the boat himself. He stayed still and cried to Jesus. He TRUSTED that He would save him, and He did!
I challenge you to be more like Peter in this story. Even when you're afraid, and we all are sometimes, trust in God. KNOW that He will save you, because He will. He already HAS. Him saving you wasn't just a one time thing. It's something that happens everyday over the course of your life.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you, He will NEVER leave nor forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6
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