Fear Not

I panicked. I was probably 5 years old. I had spent the afternoon with teenager sisters who lived right down the lane from my aunt and uncle. It was growing dark and so I needed to get back to the aunt and uncle’s house. The girls decided it would be fun to scare me. So they told me a ferocious boogeyman was between their house and my destination. As I began walking down that lane with woods on both sides of me I knew I could hear something. I picked up my pace and began to run as fast as I could. I was terrified and I knew that creature in the woods was about to catch me. Until I saw the light on the porch and got inside the little house. As soon as I was inside all fear was gone.
Oh beloved, rampant fear is at the edge of all our walks. None of us knows what’s really out there. The enemy has put the thought of fear into our hearts. He’s also placed tragedy and hopelessness there. If we don’t run fast enough we’ll be swallowed up by the enemy for sure. But God says, “Fear not”. Over and over. It’s a difficult decision we have to make. But if we focus our eyes on the Light and keep ourselves inside His truth, we won’t be tempted to run wild and cause ourselves more trouble.
You are the apple of the Father’s eye. Imperfect though you are, He loves you. He is calling you to stand firm against the fears of this season. While all around you destruction seems to be a way of life now, you aren’t falling for it. You’ve been called to build up, not tear down. And beloved, know this – even if you have no one else to discuss your fears with, God is your go to. This is a season of learning how to get your peace, your hope and your living water from the Lord alone. He didn’t ordain the chaos or the pain, but He will use it to bring you closer to Him. He will use it to get you to run to Him and hide yourself from the dangers.