A woman living in Washington only left her apartment three times in thirty years because she was afraid to go outside.
Lots of people today are afflicted with a variety of phobias. Fear of the unknown...the dark...heights...flying...the list is endless. The most common fear is that of death and dying. Sarah Winchester, heiress to the famed rifle fortune, believed that she would die if construction ever stopped on her home. Because of that fear, she kept a staff of carpenters and gardeners busy working 24 hours a day for 38 years.
How do you deal with your fears? Do you run from them or try to cover them up? Can fear ever be conquered? There’s really only one way there’s only one way to overcome your fears - turn to God.
In the Old Testament, Psalm 34:4 says: "I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.”(NLT)
When we’re worried or afraid, it's based on false assumptions. We may worry about what others think about us; or concerned that God’s not going to fulfill his promises in our life like He’s done for others. Or maybe we think that our problems are too big for God to handle. Remember the Lord promised to never leave us or desert us. We can trust Him with every fear that we face.
Take time often to think about the character of God. The more you do, the easier it will become to put your confidence in the only one who can help you conquer your fears. Remember - one of the most devastating consequences of not properly dealing with fear is the strain it puts on your relationship with God.
Once we understand that fear is based on false assumptions and that not all fear is bad, we can begin to practically deal with those things that cause us to be afraid. We start by simply admitting that there are times we struggle with fear and there’s no way to avoid it. It happens to everyone.
So when it happens, turn to God and remind yourself that He will free you from any and all fears you will ever stumble upon.
