Fighting Fear

I have a problem and it's one that I think I share with a lot of people:  when bad things happen or potentially might happen, I worry and I am afraid.  Sometimes the things I worry about are not really based in reality.  That happened to me recently when I was convinced that we had bedbugs. (We do not have bedbugs; I know that now).  And sometimes the things I worry about are a good cause for worry (like being in the path of  a hurricane with a basement, full of stuff, that will flood if the power goes out and our sump won't work.)  And when fear seizes me by the throat so tightly that I cannot breathe, I am learning  that the only place for me to go is to my knees before the Lord and plead for his mercy.

At first (the first thousand times or so), I still worried...in fact I "worried" God like a dog worries a bone....and my nugget of fear remained molten in my stomach.  I prayed "Lord, I believe, please help my unbelief!"  And slowly ....sllllllloooowwwwwlllyy...I can see progress.  Today when the man mowing my lawn commented on the mushiness of the ground by our turkey hill--fears of a septic failure knocked at the gate in my heart--and resolutely I turned them away.  How?  Well God has lately given me some "affirmations" which have really helped me to keep my eyes on Him and not on the possibilities of disaster that are so much a part of our lives.  

I am going to share with you my list of promises that God has spoken to my heart in moments of fear.  I pray they will help you like they have helped me.

God has given me some affirmations. Here they are:

Isaiah 46:4 (NLT)

⁴ I will be your God throughout your lifetime—
    until your hair is white with age.
I made you, and I will care for you.
    I will carry you along and save you.

"You do not go into a dark future, alone and without Provision" (there's a story behind that one)

"What I do not take you out of, I will certainly carry you through"

"The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God cannot sustain you."

"I have an endless supply of whatever it is that you need."

and my response "Give me the Grace to live in the reality of your Mercy"

“Take those worries---take those fears, and drown them in the rivers of My provision.”

Faith is when Disaster knocks and Trust puts its pants on and answers the door.

 I would challenge you to meditate on these and to pay attention to the promises God brings to you in times of need.  Write them down.  Memorize them.  And when the next fear comes along, wield that sword and cut it down to size!