Fear Factor

Wednesday, February 4, 2015
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Philippians 4:6 – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (NKJV)

When I was very young, we lived in a small cabin out on the family homestead some miles beyond the small village of Forest Grove here in the Cariboo region of British Columbia, Canada. There was no electricity or such utilities back then.

I grew up in a secure environment with good parents. The earliest memories I have are from about the age of four. Some of those involve waking up in the night afraid, either from strange noises, a bad dream, or just worrying about a monster or something under my bed. I remember sometimes working up the nerve, jumping out of my bed, running scared as fast as I could into another room, and hopping into bed with mom and dad. What a refuge! Whew! There, I felt safe and secure right away, and I could just snuggle in and sleep safe and sound. I'm sure that lots of folks can identify with something similar.

In bed with my parents, I would be "anxious for nothing". But why? It must have been because whatever frightened me did not seem to frighten mom or dad one little bit. Whatever felt threatening to me, certainly did not threaten them.

1 Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (NIV)

In this Scripture, God is reminding us to run to Him, and not only to prayerfully give our worries to Him, but to leave them with Him. He wants us to remember that whatever threatens or scares us does not threaten or scare Him! We need to remember that not only is He immeasurably bigger than our circumstances, but He is also bigger than the feelings and emotions of worry or fear that we may experience in the midst of those circumstances. Because He promises us that He is sovereignly working out His good purposes in our lives through everything, we are safe and secure in His hands, and nothing and no one can ever separate us or snatch us out of His hands or thwart His purposes — ever.

I need more of this to permeate me, because trusting God surely is one of those essential, child-like attributes that Jesus must have had in mind when He told us to "become like little children" in Matthew 18:3. My feelings of security and peace in my parents' bed as a kid came from somehow knowing that any "monsters" couldn't really get to me without having to go through them first. And if anything could actually get past them … well, then it couldn't possibly be anything worth being afraid of. No wonder the Lord is so often called our refuge, our fortress. No wonder He tells us so many times throughout the Scriptures to "fear not".

Prayer: Help us, Lord, to remember how many times, in every kind of situation or trouble, You tell Your people in Your Word, "Fear not, I am with you!" Amen.

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About the author:

Bruce Wilcox <bwilcox2@live.ca>
Lac La Hache, British Columbia, Canada

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1 Comment

  • PresbyCan Feedback says:

    Excellent!


    A blessed reminder Bruce.


    What a wonderful way to put it, just when I needed some extra reassurance. Beautiful.


    Bruce, so true about things that make us afarid in our lives I know I need to trust in the lord our God more than I currently due.


    I really enjoy your devotional “Fear Factor”.
    Thank you.


    What a wonderful, wonderful Daily. I needed to read this today, as I am sure many people did. Thank you for submitting this.


    What a good story relating to how Jesus watches over and protects us.
    A good reminder also to put out trust in and lean on Him in any situation we face. He is faithful.
    He has always there during my struggle with cancer.
    Keep the faith and keep writing.
    May God richly bless you.


    Thank you for the great devotional. The passage from Phillippians hit me right away when I first looked at your devotional, as I had just yesterday quoted that to one of my granddaughters who is very anxious at writing an exam today. I can recall waking in the night when I was young, & being afraid and thinking someone was under my bed. It was total darkness, as we too lived in the country – no electricity. I wish I had known God then as I do now, it would have helped me so much.
    (B.C.)


    Thank you for your encouraging word. Feeling somewhat down I got out of bed at 2 AM, turned on the TV to the Christian channel. Heard Joyce Meyers say: What comes out of your mouth is the result of what you harbour in your heart.
    Then I read your daily devotions with 1 Peter 5:7; and I was unaware that cares was translated anxieties in many translations: So we can cast all our anxieties, worries and cares on Jesus, because He cares and understands. Praise His Holy, all powerful Name.
    Thank you for being faithful to God with these encouraging words in the service of our King.


    I copied your devotional to use to open our Bible Study. We are using the study book by Rick Warren The Purpose Driven Life. Thanks for helping us.
    Keep writing.


    This was a beautiful message assuring us we are safe and secure in the hands of the Master. Come what may, we who love the Lord are fortified by His protection and the assurance of, “like you so wisely advised” what threatens us, does not threaten Him.
    I too can remember being very fearful and anxious when I was a little girl. I was 3-8 years old during the Second World War and with so much “War Talk” going on in our neighbourhood, and indeed in our home, since my dad was away in the army, I carried around with me the dreaded fear bad people were going to come, at night, and take me away from my mom and grandmom. And, like you, my refuge was snuggling up with my mother at night when things seemed so terrifying.
    But praise the Lord, I had always had the great assurance from mamma that she and God would take care of me and indeed those who might hurt me were far, far off, many miles across the ocean, and could not possibly find me anyway. Do you know until this day, I still fear being alone at night.
    A great message, bringing back the blessing I had because, my mother, like your parents, provided me with the comfort and fortification I needed at the very moment I needed it.
    Take care and thank you for your fine message.


    Thanks for the reminder about our fears and God’s desires for us. The Scriptures helped me to leave it all to Him and I set out on a drive to an appointment I was sorely tempted to cancel!

 



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