Are there waves of fear crashing on your beach? That’s the best way I can think to describe those times when the lulling rhythm of life is interrupted by gripping anxiety.
Do you know what I’m talking about? Almost anything can bring it on—the recent election, children that are late coming home, big bills or the rising cost of living, failure, or our husband’s attitude or secrets.The potential is all around us. Life can be scary!
I’m reminded of the words of Eliphaz in the book of Job: “A word was secretly brought to me, my ears caught a whisper of it. Amid disquieting dreams in the night when deep sleep falls on people, fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake.” — Job 4:14
When those waves start crashing around us—when we catch those whispered “what-ifs” in our head—our natural tendency is to focus inward on ourselves and our problems. We go over and over it trying to figure out how to solve it—how to make it stop. But, the reality is we can’t stop the waves. We can’t stop the fears. They will come when we least expect them.
WHAT CAN WE CHANGE, THEN?
We can change how we interact with those waves and how we perceive them. If you’re lying on the beach near the edge of the water when a storm comes up and the swelling waves begin to churn and crash over you, fear only grows. You feel helpless. You feel like you will drown in it. It is horrible.
But, if you have learned to surf, suddenly big waves bring excitement and an exhilarating ride. We haven’t changed the waves at all, but instead of cowering beneath them, we are propelled forward over the top of them.
WHAT? HOW?
So what does that have to do with the fears that unexpectedly accost us? A phrase from our daily devotional has been echoing in my mind all week. It said “Fear can provide a wake-up call to you heart, alerting you to reconnect with God.”
Ah-ha! This is not a time to reach inward for answers, this is a time to reach out to God and spend time in his loving arms. Giving ourselves permission stop what we’re doing and bask in God’s presence is what stills the waves of fear within our hearts. It changes our perspective. It helps us ride life’s stormy waves with a hopeful anticipation of where they are taking us.
Experiencing God’s great love for us is much more powerful than our fears.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” — Isaiah 41:10 NIV
TODAY’S CHAT: What is your biggest fear or anxiety today? Sharing it in the comments below can be a first step in taking away its power. Taking the time to talk to God about it is the second. Is this a good time for that conversation, right now?
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