Lesson 45

How can I handle my fears and place my trust in God?

Fear can be gripping and can almost paralyze a person because of the uncertainty of how a situation will turn out. There are more than 365 mentions of fear in the Bible, over 100 of those references using the words, “fear not,” or a phrase with similar meaning. Our directive as followers of Jesus Christ is to place our trust in Him because He has promised that He will help us through the fearful situations.

Jennifer used to fear that her husband would relapse. “His decades of appearing to be okay while still functioning in the ministry would give any wife reason to fear. I have learned that it is one of the places where the Lord has brought me to be able to trust Him even in this, that my joy and peace will never have to depend ever again on my husband’s choices. Because of His promises, my heart finds peace in His safety.”

She acknowledged her fears and then dealt with them in a godly way. “The sense of fear is a valid response to the pain we feel. This is where the cross swallows up the fear. Jesus remains relevant to our deepest fears and He offers hope and peace that has the ability to surpass all understanding, no matter how deep our anxiety may be.”