A few weeks ago, fear creeped in and wanted control of my
days. Maybe you know the feeling—when you realize you’re worried about how-will-I and all the what-ifs
for today, tomorrow, and 10 years from now.
Fear of the unknown and
how-will-this-work-out is formidable. It has the power to affect
everything from our moods and how we treat our families, to the decisions we
make. {Tweet this}
Fortunately, I realized it quickly…well, after an email chat
with a friend who pointed it out. Then, it was suddenly clear. Fear for tomorrow (and all the tomorrows after that) was
manipulating me in unproductive ways. {Tweet this}
As soon as I knew fear had a grip on me, I turned to God. I
reminded myself that God goes before me. Things
will often get harder before they get better, but I know if He leads me down a
rugged path, He will be there to help me.
As I felt my anxiety start to ease, I turned to Scripture. I
reread my favorite verses that calm me down, and I searched for verses on fear
that I was less familiar with.
I don’t always know which
verse will make my heart sigh with relief, but God does. He knows what I need to hear and precisely when I need to
hear it.
And sometimes, I just need to be reminded of His calming
presence…
At once, Jesus said to them, “Don’t worry! I am Jesus. Don’t
be afraid.
Here are 8 more Scripture verses to turn to when fear starts
to creep in.
Psalm 56:3 NLT {Trust}
But
when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.
Isaiah 41:10 NLT {Strength}
Don’t
be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am
your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my
victorious right hand.
Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT
{Not alone}
Do not be afraid or
discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He
will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Daniel 10:19 NLT {Strength}
“Don’t be afraid,”
he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As
he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please
speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”
John 14:26-27 CEV {Peace}
But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will
send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will
remind you of what I said while I was with you. I give you peace, the kind of
peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give.
So don’t be worried or afraid.
Psalm 23:4 NLT {Comfort}
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will
not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and
comfort me.
This is my command—be strong
and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Acts 2:25-26 CEV {Hope}
What David said are really the words of Jesus, “I always see the
Lord near me, and I will not be afraid with him at my right side. Because of
this, my heart will be glad, my words will be joyful, and I will live in hope.
What Scripture verses do you turn
to when you find yourself feeling afraid?
In Christ,
[Photo
credit: FreeImages.com]
I'm an Isaiah girl, too, Laura, and the words of Isaiah 41:10 have also brought me through some pretty rough ground. Thanks for the list of verses and your testimony of God's faithfulness.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite verse is Psalm 46:10 which technically isn't for strength against fear; but, it makes me stop and think about God and His power. Probably, Psalm 23 is a better choice if I need to pick something different from what you have listed. Although, I love Joshua 1:9! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love the verses you quoted here. Isaiah 41:10 is one of my favourites. Psalm 91 is the place I most often go to deal with fear.
ReplyDelete"I don’t always know which verse will make my heart sigh with relief, but God does." I love this sentence, Laura! Yes, we need to simply keep going to Scripture until it's done it's work on us. I like Proverbs 29:25. "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe." If you ever study it out, it's quite amazing. Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteThe Lord just sent me to Psalm 91 again this week. The verses you chose are really powerful for fighting fear and replacing it with peace. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteWonderful list! Stopping by from Tell His Story. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful list of encouraging verses Laura.So true what you said about God knowing what you needed to hear. I love the verses He provides me with during my time Him. My favorite scripture in those fearful times is Prov. 3:5-6. There is so much substance to this passage that gives me comfort and courage. Love the Isaiah verse and of course Psalm 23 saved me as I recovered in the hospital all those years ago. Thank you for this biblical reminder that God is always with us and we have nothing to fear when we keep our eyes on Him. Have a wonderful Mother's day weekend and God bless.
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful list of encouraging verses Laura.So true what you said about God knowing what you needed to hear. I love the verses He provides me with during my time Him. My favorite scripture in those fearful times is Prov. 3:5-6. There is so much substance to this passage that gives me comfort and courage. Love the Isaiah verse and of course Psalm 23 saved me as I recovered in the hospital all those years ago. Thank you for this biblical reminder that God is always with us and we have nothing to fear when we keep our eyes on Him. Have a wonderful Mother's day weekend and God bless.
ReplyDeleteI love Psalm 23. As a child, I learned it by heart. When my father went to speak, I would go with him and recite the Psalm. I was about 5 years old, I think. I really appreciate learning the Psalm. I now wish I had learned other Bible passages by heart. Not too late to start, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteI have a small purse size photo album filled index cards of fear scriptures. It seems to be a constant challenge for so many of us. Great words here Laura!
ReplyDelete