Fight Fear with Faith

A close friend and I were chatting over text recently, and we came to the conclusion that though we’re going through completely different situations in our lives, we’re both having our faith stretched in the same way.

For me, the stretching feels a bit like when I try to stretch my hamstrings in an exercise class: it hurts, and I don’t seem to be making much progress.

But as we talked, I realized that my way of thinking is part of the problem. My thought patterns have changed over the last few years. I’ve always had a sense of expectancy and hope as I look forward to the future, but lately I’ve gotten into the habit of bracing myself for bad news and difficulty. There are many factors and situations that have probably contributed to that, but I believe it was a much-needed wakeup call from the Lord.

 As I stood in my kitchen, I told my friend: “It’s almost as if I’m preparing myself for the worst so that I’m not disappointed. If I keep my expectations low, then maybe I won’t get hurt.”

I stopped myself and thought, Wow. Is that really how I think? Is that really what I think of God?

 Immediately, this Bible verse came to mind: “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?” (John 14:9 ESV). In this verse, Philip is asking Jesus to show him the Father. Jesus counters with that question and says, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

I felt like my heart had been pierced through as I stood there in my kitchen. I thought, Have I walked with Jesus this long and I STILL don’t know him and his character? Have I known and loved Jesus for more than two decades and yet still doubt that he has my good in mind?

That’s when I knew I needed to give my soul a stern talking-to. Like the psalmist, I said out loud, “Why are you so cast down, O my soul? Place your hope in God!!” (my personal paraphrase of Psalm 43:5).

The language in that verse is so expressive. You can feel the angst and the inner battle that’s raging within. In the NIV translation, it says, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” The NLT says it this way: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?”  The ESV translates it like this: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?”

As I read those different translations, I thought, Where’s my faith? Where’s my hope?

My favorite life verse flitted through my mind: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29:11 NIV). I zeroed in on the phrase “and not to harm you.”

Now, of course I would never say it like this, because I truly believe the opposite to be true, but when I doubt God, and when I fear the future, I am technically believing that God might be planning to harm me. Yikes.

With that in mind, I asked myself a series of questions. (Feel free to join me and answer them for yourself.)

• Has God ever let me down? No.
• Has he always been faithful? Yes.
• Has he ever left me or forsaken me? No.
• Has he walked with me through every heartache, trial, and valley? Yes.

So I said these words out loud: “Then why are you so cast down? Soul, why are you so bummed out? Soul, why are you so sure things will go south all the time? Soul, take heart! Take courage!”

When we face situations that bring up fear and apprehension, we need to recognize what’s happening and put up the shield of faith (Eph. 6:16). We need to actively work to tone down the fear, doubt, and dread and pump up the faith, hope, and love.

Yes, we go through hard things. Yes, we grow and learn more in the midst of trials than when life is peachy. And yes, God can use the rough roads to help us know him better and rely on him more fully.

God is faithful. He is eternally good. And he loves us with an everlasting love.

If you sometimes find yourself expecting the worst, bracing yourself for hard things, feeling down and discouraged, or struggling with fear and apprehension, fight fear with faith. Read these verses out loud (and maybe write a few down):

• For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Tim. 1:7)
• The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deut. 31:8)
• He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Rom. 8:32)
• Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matt. 7:9-11)
• Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (1 Chron. 16:34)
• Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. (Ps. 34:8)

If you feel like your faith is being stretched right now, take heart. Place your hope in God. Plant your feet on his promises. Remember his faithfulness.

He has never failed you yet, and he never, ever will.

Rachel Dodge is a college English instructor and the author of The Little Women Devotional, the bestselling Anne of Green Gables Devotional, and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. A true kindred spirit at heart, Rachel loves books, bonnets, and ball gowns. When she’s not writing, Rachel enjoys spending time with her husband and two children and their fluffy white dog. You can visit her online at RachelDodge.com.

Photograph © Priscilla Du Preez, used with permission