It’s Important to Trust God When You’re Afraid
It’s not at all unusual lately to learn a friend or family member is overwhelmed by feelings of fear and anxiety.
The truth is that’s exactly where the enemy of our souls wants us all. Satan wants us all distracted, disappointed, disconnected, and discontent. He wants us to live anxious and afraid.
Jesus said…
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.
John 10:10a
The enemy is that thief. He wants to steal our peace and joy, kill our strength and courage, and destroy our faith, hope, and love. And this has been his goal since he first approached Adam and Eve in the Garden.
God wants much more for His children. He’s told us we can turn to Him because He is greater than anything that frightens us.
David understood that truth. With God’s help, he stood up to multiple armies and defeated Goliath. But David was also human. He had times when the enemy attacked him with frightening situations and thoughts.
But he also gave us an example to follow…
When I am afraid,
Psalm 56:2–3
I will put my trust in you.
I praise God for what He has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me?
David started by professing his faith. He trusted the One who had been greater than his circumstances in the past and he knew he could trust Him to be greater in the present and the future.
David remembered that even when he had experienced deep pain and sadness God had cared for him.
You keep track of all my sorrows.
Psalm 56:8
You have collected all my tears in Your bottle.
You have recorded each one in Your book.
Nothing is hidden from our Heavenly Father. He knows everything we go through . . . every thought, word, and action. He is always with us. And He promises that when we place our trust in Him, He will fight for us…
For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.’
Deuteronomy 20:4
The Spirit is with us to remind us that we can take every fear and concern to God. We can cry out to Him for help and trust His sovereign love.
We can stand with David and say…
This I know: God is on my side!
Psalm 56:9b–11
I praise God for what He has promised;
yes, I praise the Lord for what He has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me?
The Lord is on our side. He faithfully keeps His promises and we can praise Him for all that He has done in the past counting on Him to care for us in the future.
What can mere mortals do to us?
They can’t steal our faith, hope, or peace. They can’t steal our forgiveness or the promise of eternal life. They can’t steal what we have in Christ Jesus and nothing else is more important.
Let’s pray…
A Prayer to Trust God When You’re Afraid
Father, I feel like I’m constantly bombarded with news reports, social media posts, and comments, circumstances, and situations all trying to elicit fear and anxiety. It seems like the enemy is posting neon signs that say, “Watch out, what if this or that happens . . . it’s awful and it’s getting worse.”
I’ll admit, I give in sometimes and let fear take hold of my head trying to work its way into my heart. Please forgive me.
I don’t want to live like this. I know You want so much more for me. You gave everything so I could live free of fear. So, I will speak out loud David’s words, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” I will trust You because You keep Your promises. You always do what You say. You are with me. You’ve collected my tears and recorded my sorrows. You know my heart and understand my struggles. And You want me to live in victory.
You are my Savior and my God. You are my source of strength when I’m afraid and my peace when I’m anxious. You are my hope for the future. You give me what I need to trust You in all things and I thank and praise You with all my heart. Amen.
It may feel like I’m “preachin’ to the choir.” And I apologize if that’s the case but God knows how much I need this reminder. I’ve struggled with fear for much of my life and the enemy doesn’t easily give up the ground that he’s been working for years.
But Jesus doesn’t want you or me to live with fear. That’s why throughout His Word He said, “don’t be afraid.”
When you and I struggle with fear because the “thief” is trying to “steal, kill, and destroy” our peace we need to cling to the second part of Jesus’ statement. The part where He promises that whatever satan does…
[His] purpose is to give a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:10b
If you’re fighting a battle with fear today fight the enemy by speaking out loud…
I will trust in the Lord and I know, God is with me and will help me.
May God be with you and give you everything you need to trust Him when you’re afraid.
We would love to pray for you.
You can leave your prayer requests here…
and even take a few minutes to pray over the list left by our friends.
Never Miss an Update
Leave your email address and I’ll send you a short email every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to alert you to each new devotion. Plus you’ll receive a copy of 30 Ways to Bless Your Marriage and Keep the Spark Burning
I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi” and share your thoughts in the comments below.
And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…
Thanks again for visiting! Don’t forget to check out the links below to find additional posts that will bless you…
Trusting in God, now and forever.
Blessings, Deb!
Yes, the enemy does set us up for fear and anxiety. He preys on our weakest situations and moments. I love the Psalms you quoted. I have loved and relied on Psalm 56:8 for a number of years. And Jeremiah 29:11!! I love all of God’s word. It has covered everything possible one can go through in their lifetime. I have found that it is hard to rely on people. They don’t understand unless they have gone through similiar circumstances.
I also love Acts 2:26. It has been a wonderful “go to” for me in times of fear and anxiety.
I hope that you have a great Mother’s Day weekend with your family, Deb!! God bless you my sweet friend who I know understands our struggles. You have such wisdome to spread to us and it is so very appreciated! A buncha hugs to you!!
Thank you from Rosemary, your note to Deb is a blessing to all of us ❤️
Thank you Rosemary! You put a big, smile on my face. God Bless you with a wonderful weekend and Mother’s Day.
I was blessed by your Comment/ Hugs back to you
I completely agree, Sue. People don’t understand. Even if they have gone through something similar, we are all wired differently and cope with life’s circumstances differently. I have learned that the best place to run with my fear is to the loving caring arms of the Lord. Thank you once again for your kindness. God bless you, my friend! I pray you had a beautiful Mother’s Day. Hugs!
What a beautiful post and prayers. Thank your dear Lord for you are my armor always protecting me from all evil. I trust in you that you will always be with me when I’m feeling down, stressed, hurt, worried, angry, sad to uplift me and give me your unfailing love.
I love you so much without I can not fight the enemy.
God Bless you Deb and all the ladies in this spiritual circle.????
Have a lovely Mother’s Day ????
What a beautiful prayer, Ana! Thank you for your beautiful additions to our conversations. God bless you!
Thank you so much for this reminder that, as someone who has also lived in fear most of my life, I seem to need reminded of every day even knowing that having faith over fear is truly the only way to go… One of my biggest troubles right now with let go & let God is that I’m afraid that what He has in store for for me, all be it better then anything I could know, is not what I am praying for & that is the loss of my marriage & my best friend of 17 years alcoholic husband. Do you have any posts to point me in the direction of for this. It’s just so hard…
Thank you for being a trusted woman of faith to turn to in a time of need. ???? ???? ????
Amanda, I am so sorry you are going through a troubling and fearful time. But God knows your every pain and heartbreak and fear. I am praying You will feel His love, His guidance, and His amazing grace each and every day of this journey. God will never leave you or forsake you! And neither will we!
I am lifting you up in prayer! “Sometimes courage doesn’t roar, sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day, saying Dear God, with Your help, I will try again tomorrow.”
Thank you dearly, Kathy. Amen. He makes everything better and doable and I don’t know where I would be without His Divine love, grace and mercy.
God bless you and yours, dear lady!
???? ???? ????
Oh, Amanda, I’m sorry you are walking through this difficult season. I’ve lived with fear and anxiety for much of my life, too. I was doing better but I’ll admit that walking through Rev’s illness with him is testing that every day. With God’s help, I’m running to Him when fear rises and asking Him to give me His strength and peace. And I’m praying the same for you right now. Asking the Lord to hold you, counsel you, and give you the peace and strength you need each day. Blessings and hugs!
Such a comforting post, Deb! There is so much fear abounding in the world we live in! But thanks be to God, who calms all ours fears and anxieties and makes us to dwell only in safety! And I love and rejoice in all the uplifting and heart felt comments too! They all speak to my heart! Such beautiful ladies inside and out! Thank you, Deb for giving use a place to share and praise our merciful and loving Father. Praying everyone has a blessed and most wonderful and Happy Mother’s Day!! Mothers are the ones we ran to first as toddlers and children to calm our fears! And I am so very thankful, my Mom taught me to run to God’s arms once I was too big to sit on her lap!
What a wonderful expression of love for your mother, Kathy. You are so sweet and so kind.
I have missed seeing you post this week. I do hope that you have a beautiful Mother’s Day weekend! I hope that things are great in Tennessee! I am an old Georgia girl.
God Bless You my sweet friend!
Thank you, Kathy! I love that this space has become a place for friends and encouragement. You all truly bless me. Your mom sounds like a wise loving woman. We all that reminder to run the our Heavenly Father when we need comfort and strength. Blessings and hugs, my friend! I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day!