Fear

Several years ago, when I was working for a radio network, I had to fly to each station location in a small 4-seater plane. On one of those trips we hit some turbulent weather and we were bouncing up and down like a yo-yo. Not my idea of fun. I don’t go on any amusements park rides, especially the roller coaster. Not even if someone paid me to.

Well, fear gripped me! But rather than panic in front of my co-workers, I pulled out my little book of Psalms with a prayer and opened to Psalm 34. Yes, sometimes it works to just open the Scriptures randomly and trust God to lead you to just the verse you need. Well, there it was: Psalm 34:4. “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

It’s not that I had no more fear. But the Lord took away the grip that the fear had on me. I’ve claimed that verse many times since that occasion. And today I need it again. My husband and I are flying to Germany this evening to visit our granddaughter and her husband. What a happy prospect! But it’s scary to fly over the ocean. In fact, it’s scary for me to fly anywhere.

The point is that we cannot afford to let fear grip us and keep us from doing wonderful things. With all the crime infesting our world, and all the accidents occurring daily, and all the disease prevalent in our country we could be afraid to go anywhere. But we have to trust the Lord to lead us and use us anyplace and anywhere He chooses. And the Bible also says that “perfect love casts out fear” (I John 4:18). And “God is love” (I John 4:8).

So today I pray to be delivered from fear and to be used to be a blessing to those around me. What are you afraid of? Can you trust the Almighty with it today?