I know that everyone is afraid of something, some of us more than others. I personally struggle with being fearful, so looking at what God’s Word has to say about how to deal with fear was good for me. Among some of the things that I tend to worry about needlessly, I worry about people that I love drowning. I know that sounds silly, but I worry when my little brothers or nieces are near water. Do you worry about things?
In the New Testament there is a good description of being afraid. Mark 4:37-41 says “And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filled up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still.’ And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?’ They became very much afraid and said to one another, ‘Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him?’”
We see that there should be no reason to be afraid, because when we are going through some struggles, we may think that there could be nothing worse than what we are going through. Well, God is going to be there to carry us and help us through our hard times. Isaiah 41:10 says “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” And John 10:11 says “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” When we feel all alone and scared, God will be there for us and He will be there to comfort us. Psalm 23:4 says “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Even though it is so hard, we should all try not to be afraid, because there is no reason to be. God is always going to be there for us if we stick with him, because we cannot get through life without Him. John 15:4 says “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me” You see, when we are fearful, God hasn’t left us, we have left Him!
“The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will, Peace be still! Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea, or demons, or men, or whatever it be, No water can swallow the ship where lies The Master of ocean and earth and skies; They all shall sweetly obey Thy will, Peace be still! Peace be still!” (Words by Mary A Baker, 1874.)
By Abigail Warnes
Abigail Warnes (age 14) is the fifth of nine kids and is the proud aunt of two nieces. Homeschooled by her parents, Jon and Laura Warnes, they all attend the Bear Valley church of Christ. Some of her hobbies include decorating cakes and sewing.