You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘fear’ tag.
O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! Psalms 61:1
Have you ever been in a situation where you are trying to explain something to someone and you can tell by body language and other clues that they aren’t listening to you? Oh, they hear your words and see your lips moving, but the information is failing to make any inroads at all.
Or, perhaps you are like me. While I hate to admit it, there are times when I’m being talked to and my attention is elsewhere and I miss part, if not all of the message. You may even try to call the person out or even touch their shoulder and say something like “Are you hearing what I’m trying to tell you?”
Some people are hard of hearing. While they try to hear information, they simply can’t because of a physical disability. Must most of us, at least at some point in our lives, have a listening problem, not a hearing problem.
Do you ever feel like God is like that in your prayers? Do you ever want to say, as the Psalmist, “O God, listen to my cry! Here my prayer!” Notice the emotion in David’s words. In our 21st century vernacular it may come across as “ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? HELLO!”
Theologically speaking, we know God hears our prayers, but theology and practicality don’t always mix. I like this verse because it reminds me that I can be honest with God,
It reminds me that when my prayers don’t seem to get past the ceiling, I know they have been heard even though emotions tell me differently.
It encourages me to know that others struggle as I do, even King David, the ‘man after God’s own heart’!
Is your heart heavy in prayer today for a son or daughter, a struggling marriage, a past that seems to haunt you, fear of the future. Let your Father know how you REALLY feel. He can handle it and he may reward you for your honesty!
For my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. John 10:29
In the previous verse Jesus teaches that as our Good Shepherd we are safe in his hands. Now, as he continues His teaching about being our Good Shepherd he gives us further assurance of our security in Him.
We are not only safe because of Jesus power and strength, as our savior, we are safe because we are also in the Father’s hands and He is ‘more powerful than anyone else’. It’s easy here to miss a vital truth. Jesus says ‘no one’ not ‘nothing’.
We struggle with doubt. We struggle with fear. We struggle with anger. We are hurt by the church and hurt by those who don’t believe. But those are all actions from our main enemy, Satan. He will send anything in our way to pull us away from the Father and his eternal promises.
When we are in His hands, none of the tactics of Satan or his evil cohorts can pull us away. You are doubly protected, doubly loved, doubly cared for. Even when we stray away, He knows where we are and seeks us out. There is no reason to fear when the Father is near.
We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. 1 Thessalonians 1:4
There are few things we can know for sure. We watch the weather forecast in hopes of ‘knowing’ what the weather will be like, and sometimes the meteorologists are actually right!
You may read the business section to see how your IRA or retirement account is doing. You may study prophecy to see what is going to happen in the future. The reality is, there just aren’t many guarantees in life!
Some of us lament over the past. Some are dissatisfied with today. Some are full of anxiety over tomorrow. Sometimes it’s refreshing to focus on the things we know. Especially since the things we know will carry us through the unknown.
Sometimes the things we know get lost in the distractions of the things we aren’t sure about or are fearful. So here is your reminder for today. It’s set in stone. It’s as secure as a mountain. It’s withstood the storms of time. It’s weathered every attack throughout history. Ready?
God chose you. He didn’t choose you for your looks, your spotless past, your strength, your financial stability or your ability to be of any value to him at all! He chose you because he loves you with a love you can never return, never be worthy of and never run from. You are loved. Live in the strength of that truth!
So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:18
It seems like every day we’re met with more and more troubles. Racial tension. Conspiracy theories. Political unrest. Natural disasters. Pandemics. Climate change. Inflation.
When you start to look around, it can really be pretty depressing. It’s no wonder fear and worry and anger and frustration and hatred seem to be rampant.
The apostle Paul encourages us to place our gaze on the things that last forever. All of the struggles we see now will someday go away. But there are some things that we can’t see that will last forever.
The love of God is new every morning. The forgiveness of our sins. The promise of eternal life. A peace the passes all understanding. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives as believers in Jesus. What are some other things that will last forever?
Focusing on the things that will last forever makes it easier to endure the things we struggle with that surround us. The things we see are temporary, but the promises of God are eternal.
The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7
Where do you turn when trouble comes? Who do you call on for help?
When relationships go south, some turned to new relationships, hoping to find relief.
When finances are hard, some borrow money which only increases their debt load and anxiety.
Loss of a loved one can lead to years of grief, depression, and mental health issues.
God has never promised that life will be easy. In fact, He promises us that we will have troubles. He also promises us that he will always be there to work with us through every storm we encounter.
The closer you draw to him, less impact the storms in life will have on you. You can trust in him in whatever storm comes your way!
What storm are you in today? What struggle is keeping you from seeing the good things in life? Lean heavily on God and he will bring you a peace that passes all understanding.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 