Fearless

Fearless

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

I AWOKE IN THE EARLY HOURS before dawn, heart pounding wildly. As I lay counting the rapid beats, my husband snoozing beside me, I could feel my anxiety rise. Minutes passed, but still my heart raced. Trying to distract myself, I walked into the bathroom to splash water on my face and met my own troubled gaze in the mirror, wondering what to do next.

Returning to bed, I closed my eyes and began to count my breaths. Inhaling on a count of four, holding for a beat of four, exhaling for four, and sustaining no breath for four. Steadily, I visualized those counts as though tracing the outlines of a square in my mind.

As I did, I recalled the verse my father prayed over me when I had nightmares as a child: that our fear doesn’t come from God. Instead, he’s given us power, love, and a sound mind. Even now, the words Paul spoke to Timothy—reminding him of the rich spiritual heritage he possessed—come to mind whenever I’m afraid. As I pray those words and slow my breaths, counting evenly, peace slips over me and my heart slows enough to send me back to sleep on restless nights.

Fear can be negative or positive. When used judiciously, it can help us respond to or avoid danger, but it can also paralyze us. However, Psalm 112 notes that those who fear God are actually the most fearless because they trust that the Lord will care for them (see verses 1, 7-8). Their confidence is in him. Fearing the Lord makes us wise in that we are better able to recognize that while the world’s threats are temporary, our focus is on the eternal. When we know that the power rests with God rather than in our earthly circumstances, we need not fear.

We, too, have a rich spiritual heritage, just as Timothy did. We are God’s children, dearly and deeply loved. That’s our identity, our hope, and our future. Today, take a moment, a breath (or four), and say a prayer to combat fear and trust God. Peace is on the other side.

Lord, thank you that our confidence rests in your power. With you, we need not fear anything. Amen.

-Kristin

One Good Step: When fears or anxieties arise, try a simple breathing exercise like the one mentioned above.