When Fear Comes

 

When Sherry Poff asked me if I would like to contribute to Cup of Grace, I told her that I was not really a writer. But when I prayed about it, I decided that sharing some of the verses from the Bible that have helped me through my 77 years to trust and live and enjoy my relationship with God might be an encouragement to some of you. So I pray that these verses that I share with you now and then will be hidden in your heart so that the Lord might bring them to mind as the Spirit leads you through all situations.

FEAR: Fear is a very powerful word! It can cause us to feel and do things we should, or it could cause just the opposite reaction in our lives.

I was in Walgreens a while ago when all of a sudden, the lights went out. People just stopped where they were! A woman behind me said out loud, “I’m afraid of the dark; let’s get out of here fast!” A man behind her spoke up right away and said, “Don’t be afraid; God is in charge of my life, and we will all be fine!” Then the lights came back on! We all laughed, but it was great timing. I appreciated tat the man was bold enough in his faith to speak up to others with encouragement.

When I got home, I started thinking about Bible verses that tell us not to be afraid because it is true that God really is in control of our lives. I believe the Bible is the only real truth we have here on earth because it is God’s Word, and so I can trust what it tells me.

I’m going to share a couple of passages that I have memorized, and that I have quoted over and over again when that feeling of fear has come up in so many different situations.

Psalm 91. My fifth grade teacher had a huge impact on my life spiritually. One of the things she had us to was to memorize Psalm 91. She told us a story about one of her friends that illustrated how God could take care of us in “scary” situations. I have never forgotten it! Verse 4 says, “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust.” This friend came home one night and thought she heard a noise in the kitchen. She went in to check and turned the light on and saw a man crouching down on the floor. She was so frightened that all she could shout out was “He shall cover thee with his feathers, He shall cover thee with His feathers, He shall cover thee with his feathers!” Obviously, the man thought she was nuts and jumped back out of the window he had entered. (I am still waiting to use this example! Thank goodness!)

When John and I were engaged, and he was sent by the Army to serve in Vietnam, we chose this psalm to claim. It has been called “The Soldier’s Psalm.” John especially liked verses 14 and 15. “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.” I’m so thankful that John came home from the war to marry me!

Psalm 4:8 “I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

My grandmother, Taddy (Ella Belle Lippincott), quoted this verse to us at night when as children we were afraid of the dark. It had helped her as a child during storms that came. I have quoted this to my own children many times. Hearing the Scripture out loud brings such trust and comfort.

Another time I will share with you some verses that have brought me peace when my fear involved transitions and emotional situations and the worrisome fears that involve our families.  We all are afraid at some time furing our lives, but we can have peace when we sleep and have trust we we are awake because we have the Living God and His word in which to have faith.

--Mary Ramsey