Be Not Afraid
We are living in times that often seemed sculpted by fear. Inflation, a looming bird flu threat, plane crashes, wild weather fronts, fires, crime, loneliness…
Regardless of one’s age or political leanings, each of us is bombarded with warnings every cognate moment of our lives. From coyote sightings (we live on a desert!!) to outbreaks of viruses, to polar bears floating on melting ice, to the changes we experience as we age – we wake up braced to absorb whatever new shocks have arisen while we slept, if we slept…
What is to be done with this daily king-sized helping of trepidation? How about some King-sized advice to “fear not”?
The phrases “be not afraid” or “fear not” appear in the bible approximately 365 times, depending on the translation. This number is often seen as a symbolic reminder that God reassures us every day of the year not to live in fear. These words are spoken by God, angels, Jesus, and prophets to encourage trust in divine protection and guidance. The frequency we are admonished to quit being afraid and trust in God gives some indication as to just how fearful we tend to be.
Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Those are very powerful words if we will just pay attention to them. “I will help you.”
Psalm 23 – one of the most widely quoted passages from the bible – is filled with reminders of God’s constant comfort and care, even into the “the valley of the shadow of death.”
John 14:27 tells us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
“Easy enough for you to say”, we might feel like saying to ourselves as we read these verses, as we try to calm the pounding of our own racing hearts. By the time we are older — and if we have been living in the world – we will have experienced loss, wars, uncertainty, and emotional and physical pain. As the saying goes, “Nobody gets out of here alive.”
We know that. However, we spend most of our energy trying to delay the inevitable departure. From the price of eggs to the bad news in the APS bill – the small assaults on our basic daily survival can seem almost overwhelming.
Writer Virginia Woolf penned some of the most powerful words I have ever read about staying present and keeping going. I wish she had been able to take comfort from her own words. Regardless, here they are:
“Whatever happens, stay alive. Don’t die before you’re dead. Don’t lose yourself, don’t lose hope, don’t lose direction.
Stay alive, with yourself, with every cell of your body, with every fiber of your skin.
Stay alive, learn, study, think, read, build, invent, create, speak, write, dream, design.
Stay alive, stay alive inside you, stay alive also outside, fill yourself with colors of the world, fill yourself with peace, fill yourself with hope.
Stay alive with joy.
There is only one thing you should not waste in life, and that’s life itself.”
If you’re still not convinced that you’re not staring into an abyss, try to remember that fear does not come from God. 2Timothy 1:7 states quite clearly, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.”
Worry does not do anything except rob us of time, energy, and the use of a beautiful afternoon and the sound of birds. We must trust that we are not alone. We will not perish alone and unseen because we are loved by a God who is faithful, even to the sparrow at your feeder.
Jesus himself reassured his followers, saying, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)
What does this mean for us? It means we do not have to live in fear. When anxious thoughts arise, we can surrender them to God. When the future feels uncertain, we can rest in the certainty of His love. Fear loses its grip when we place our trust in the One who holds all things in His hands. We are not alone in the dark, no matter what life has brought our way. There is always a light, and the light is always lit by the hand of the Almighty.
Let go of the worries weighing on your heart. God is near. His love is strong. And He whispers, “Fear not, for I am with you.”
A Prayer for Peace in Fear
Heavenly Father,
In this moment of darkness and fear, I turn to You.
You are my refuge, my strength, and my ever-present help.
Calm my heart, quiet my mind, and fill me with Your peace.
I know that I am never alone, for You are with me.
Your love surrounds me, Your hand upholds me,
And Your light shines even in the darkest night.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Breathe Your peace over me, and let Your perfect love drive out all fear.
I rest in You now, safe in Your embrace.
Amen.