“Mama… I can’t sleep. I’m so afraid. So afraid something bad is going to happen to all of us,” she says with tears streaming down her beautiful face.
Fear.
This sweet girl of mine has recently been struggling with a crippling fear that something bad is going to happen to her family. And like all of us with fears, it’s been keeping her up at night.
I walk her back to her room, tuck her in bed, and lay down next to her. With foreheads pressed in, I pray over her as I stroke her hair, quote Scripture, and recite God’s promise to never leave or forsake us. I remind her that this type of fear is not of God.
And so we talk about God – how powerful He is, how much He loves us, and how very GOOD He is.
God is good all the time.
Despite the nightly news reports… God is good.
Despite the diagnosis… God is good.
Despite the pain and heartbreak in this life… God is good.
The two of us cling a little closer to Jesus those nights as I pray my heart out over my girl – fighting this unseen battle as powerfully as any mama can – in the name above all names…
Jesus.
Eventually after prayers, kisses on the forehead, and a back rubbed, she drifts off to sleep. Peaceful and no longer battling fear, my girl knows that she is loved. She has been reminded that God loves her and will never leave her, and she rests in that truth.
God is good.
When bad things happen in our lives, we must remember this truth. “You are good and what you do is good…”– Psalm 119:68
Sweet friends, this world is not our home. We have to stop wishing that it is and start looking forward to the one that is to come.
We are not home yet, but let’s not give in to the fears in this life. Our God is good and what He does is good, in spite of what people say.
Yes, we live in an evil, evil world….and I am heartbroken over what I see. But we must remember that we are here for a purpose. YOU are here for a purpose, so let us NOT lose hope!
∼ May we fight back the fears that keep us up at night with God’s Word and His truth.
∼ May we use these battles for good, allowing them to make us cling even closer to Jesus as we press our foreheads in next to Him and cry “Abba, Father.”
∼ May we fall more in love with Him and His Word, truly treasuring it like pieces of silver and gold (Psalm 119:72).
God has the power to bring good from what Satan plans for evil.
“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” Psalm 119:71
Prayer:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for the amazing work YOU are doing in our lives. Thank you for the hope that is found in YOU! Thank you that you never leave us or forsake us. Thank you that you have equipped us for every good work You have planned for our lives. Help us to see you. Open our eyes to your presence and help us to be women whose faith is deepened and stronger due to affliction. Help us to treasure You as our King…..more than any precious stone. And help us to fall more and more in love with You each day. Thank you for your love, and thank you that you are good.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
May we all cling a little closer to Jesus…
Love God Greatly!
Let’s Talk: God has an amazing purpose for your life. What are some ways that you can combat fear and instead share hope with those around you?
Needed this reminder, thank you Angela
As a child of God I must redirect you I ask for God’s blessing on these words I send to you . Only. Truth can be written. How precious are our children. We must comfort them . When she is scared at night teach her to call upon God. For he is her Heavenly Father. She will come to know of his love . His angels will encamp around her.
God knew I needed to hear this as I’m continuously gripped with fear every time my son drives out of the driveway. Lord forgive me for not trusting your word when I feel this way. You love my son as much as I do and will never leave him nor forsake him. Thank you for sharing Angela.
Totally understand. I was gripped with fear every time my 3 girls drove out of driveway too. Now, my grand daughter is getting her license and I see her mom doing the same thing.
Angela this was so timely and such a reminder for me. In 3 short hours my husband and I see the lung specialist and they are taking a biopsy of an enlarged lymph node they found in his right lung. I can’t say I am not afraid but when I keep His word before my eyes it takes my drifting thoughts of fears and shifts them to hope……in this all God IS GOOD. No matter what the diagnosis……HE IS GOOD. So this morning your words again shifted me back to the only real TRUTH. My God restores health to my husbands body and we have nothing to fear for He is with us, never leaving us or forsaking us. So in this midnight hour I rise and praise Him. Thank you sweet Angela for your tender words this morning!
Praying for you and your husband and family.
Thank you Saundra ❤️
Praying for your husband. May you receive good news today. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. God does take our “drifting thoughts of fears and shifts them back to hope” when we cling to Him. I needed to hear that reminder. Praying for health!!!
Angela, thanks for this reminder and encouragement to not fear and to trust God.
Sheila, praying for your husband and for you.
I am praying for you and your husband that God strengthens you in HIM +
I too am praying for you both. May God go before you and hold you in the palm of His hand.
May the God of all grace and mercy pour into your heart, Sheila, the peace and comfort that only He can bring. We thank Him for the blessing that He has brought into your lives with the advance warning of your husband’s health problem. May He continue to guide and provide, as we know that He does. For in all things, He tells us to come to Him and place our worries, our cares, our problems, our joys and our sorrows at His feet. I ask, in Jesus’ precious name, that the lung problems be healed in God’s perfect timing and that you, sweet friend, stand strong in this storm.
Love, Sheila
Remember what God has done in the past and to declare that He is doing something now, that He is working in my life, are the strategies that I use when fears or difficult time arise.
Thanks for sharing.
So often it is affliction that drives us to seek God more closely and we find Him always being faithful, always being good, always being just, always being merciful, always being God, for our good and His glory! Thankfully this world is not our home.
I have recently rediscovered the Bondage Breakers by N. Anderson. I have my eyes opened again to the reality of spiritual warfare. So when these situations arise, I pray with my little ones the truth of scripture and claim in the name of Jesus for these thoughts to leave her, her room and our home. We have also been teaching then to claim victory in Christ and I praise my mighty Savior fit the battle is usually finished at once. Teach your children to pray out loud the truth of scripture.
Thank you for sharing this with us. Before doing this study, I followed the world news constantly, and now I am following it a little but God’s word more than the news. Fear and worry do come sometimes still, however, I know I find hope in Jesus and His word, I have not “arrived” but continue to press on and press in through prayer.
Angela, thank you so much for these comforting encouraging words! Fear is something I’ve struggled with my whole life. Through these studies, books, and my recent giving it all up to Jesus, has been such a blessing and life changer! I’m learning that starting my day off with His words and prayer sets me up to think of my actions all day and if they are what they need to be to be sharing Gods love. When I have fearful, insecure thoughts, I now know that it’s satan! I’m really working on turning my face to Jesus and praying and I’m finding my fears and insecurities are less and less and my head and heart are quieted and filled with peace. GOD IS GOOD. Thank you all again for helping bring me closer to the Lord through these studies!
What power there is in the name of Jesus! There have been those times when I have been so desperate that all I could do was whisper His Name! I can’t help but think of the words to the song “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus – oh there’s something about that name! Master, Savior, Jesus – like the fragrance after the rain. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus – let all heaven and earth proclaim! Kings and kingdoms will all pass away but there’s something about that name!” When I feel discouraged, sad, broken or fearful – I whisper His Name!
Yes, Leah! I often do the same thing when fear grips me and sing the same song and whisper his Mighty Name, Jesus, to remind myself of His great love, mercy, sovereignty, and power, and of the gift of His peace that the world can not take away when I remember His Truth.
Thank you for your words today, Angela. When one is tired and the enemy attacks and fear grips your heart….. These words were very timely for me , thank you.
I think the word “furnace” is spelled incorrectly in the Charles Spurgeon quote.
Yes and Amen! I so needed to read this. My daughter forwarded it to me before I had a chance to get to it. It’s a good word in due season! Thank you!!
Fear can tear us apart. When I encounter fear in any situation or circumstances I just have to remind myself ‘It is in God’s hands’ and once I turn in over to God I feel amazingly relieved and at peace. Works wonderfully for me. A good example of this was when my youngest son went over to Poland to play professional basketball at the age of 21. I just could not worry about him over there all alone, not able to speak the language, etc. day after day. Once I acknowledged that God was in control of my son’s destiny…..the worries ceased. It was remarkable.
Since being diagnosed with a heart problem 2-1/2 years ago, fear has blossomed in my life. I have been shocked at the power I can allow it to have over my thoughts, my attitude and whole life in general. It has been a hard battle to rid myself of this spirit of fear. I’m better but not completely out of its grip. Lately, I’ve been pondering the word surrender. It keeps coming to my mind over and over. To truly surrender my life to God, to trust HIM, to let go of how I want things to play out…I think there is freedom from fear there. And I long for that freedom. Thank you Angela for sharing and encouraging me to keep fighting for that surrender!
Angela, what a beautiful picture you paint of “using our battles for good, allowing them make us cling even closer to Jesus as we press our forehead in next to Him and cry “Abba Father.””
If we are clinging to Him, there is no ability to hold on to fear, we won’t be able to hold onto anything else and pressing our forehead into His only allows for our focus to be on Him, to be drawn into a closeness and ability to be instructed by Him, our Abba Father. The very one who knit us together, loves us deeply, sees the whole picture and desires our best.
Thank you.
Yes and Amen, Carla! I love how you explained the importance of keeping our eyes firmly on Christ, not our circumstances. This is a very important principle in overcoming fear. He is able.
Blessings,
Lyli, LGG Encourager
F.E.A.R Four letters that form a word that describes a feeling that controls so very much of my life. I lost my family once, several years ago and as a result, I find myself terrified some nights that it will happen again. I know God is good but what if He feels like I need that affliction to grow more in Him? When those fears hit me, I just have to remember that God IS God. God is love and kindness and patience. He is a just God and He grieved with me and grieves with me when I grieve. I don’t shed one single tear that escapes His attention. I have to have faith in His work in my life and know that, no matter what happens, I am loved by the Creator!
Beth, thank you for sharing your story with us. He truly does give us the grace that we need to meet each day — even when we face overwhelming grief. I love how you focus on the attributes of God to help you as you face fear. This is an excellent practice. One thing that I do is that I try to read through the book of Psalms when I am facing fears, and then as I read, I make a list of all the attributes of God that I see in the Psalm. As I read, I am reminded that God is my Defender, my Refuge, my Shepherd. I have nothing to fear because God is bigger than anything I have to face today or tomorrow. — May God continue to comfort you as you move forward in faith, my sister.
Blessings,
Lyli, LGG Encourager
Thank you Angela as this is very timely for me too. I am afraid of job interviews (fear of judgment) and of being humiliated. It all surfaced as I began to think of getting work to help my family since my husband is disabled and unable to work. For so long I hid behind him providing for us and now I’m scared. In the past, I have completely bombed all my interviews for work in my field. So I settled for jobs like waiting on tables and part time office work instead since the interviews were easier. There is nothing wrong with waiting on tables and I learned a lot, but I think I let fear get in the way of what God wants me to do.
Amy, fear is such a tool of the enemy of our souls. I would encourage you to memorize Scriptures that remind you that God is in control, so there is no need to fear. This helps me so much when I struggle with fear (because we all do!) One of my absolute favorites is II Timothy 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and of a sound mind.”
Praying tonight for God to open doors for you to use your gifts in a way that blesses your family and brings glory to God. Be encouraged my sister. He sees you and has thoughts of peace toward you.
Blessings,
Lyli, LGG, Encourager
Thank you Lyli! This morning I read the verse of the day on my YouVersion and it was this very verse, 2 Tim. 1:7! I wrote it down immediately as it encouraged me and then I see your kind response. Thank you so much.
and thank you for the prayer
Thank you very much for the beautiful reminder that this world is not our home. I earnestly look forward with all the saints to the One who is coming to right every wrong! Thank You, Lord, for your goodness!