Isaiah 41:10 ESV
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Fear Not
The phrase “fear not” appears in the Bible three hundred and sixty-five times! We are not just told to “fear not,” but in fact commanded to do so. Why then, is this simple command so difficult to follow?
If you are anything like me, then perhaps you go above and beyond to plan out your days, weeks, and months. But what happens, when your best-laid plans and dreams are put on hold? How do you feel when the life you were so accustomed to living suddenly collapses?
On a brutally cold January evening, life as I once knew it came crashing down. With snowflakes falling all around, I stood outside, sobbing, shouting, and unable to breathe. My marriage was over after several failed attempts to repair and restore our relationship. I could no longer deny the fact that what was broken could not be salvaged. On this night, I made the decision to finally let go. This meant letting go of what was familiar and comfortable to enter into a season of waiting and sole dependence on the Father.
Hand Your Burdens Over
For the remainder of January, I was caught up in a state of anxiety and fear. A rollercoaster of emotions flooded my mind with endless scenarios of what-ifs, disappointments, and replays of happier times. I began to second-guess my choice to end this toxic marriage. The enemy was attempting to keep me stuck. I knew I couldn’t stay captive in this mindset while still placing my faith in the Lord. I could no longer live in a state of fear.
Therefore, it was an absolute necessity to turn to prayer and hand all my burdens over to God. In the book of First Peter chapter 5, verses 6 and 7 state, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (ESV) By surrendering my need to determine how to handle all the what-ifs, I placed them in the always capable hands of the Waymaker.
Fully Aware
What I didn’t realize in the heat of the situation, was that God was fully aware of all the difficult decisions that faced me. God was with me. He wanted me to surrender that need for control to him.
One of the biggest obstacles that we handed over in prayer involved the sale of the house. My former spouse and I both spent time praying for the house to sell fast and for the purchase offer to be above the asking price. We placed the sale in the loving hands of the Father. My faith was strengthened by acknowledging that God would help us.
Looking back, I realized that once I surrendered and let God take control, He provided in a way that he only could have. The sale of the house was the biggest “wow, God moment” I experienced in this trial. The sale was effortless and efficient. We listed our home on a Monday, and by Wednesday evening there was an accepted offer of $20,000 above the asking price.
In this season of unexpected uncertainty and distress, God strengthened, helped, and upheld me. I simply needed to allow Him to move amongst the swirling storm in order to fully see His hand of faithfulness. Whatever storm you are facing, Isaiah 41:10 tells us that He is with us. He will indeed strengthen and help us in our storms. While the storm doesn’t always disappear, we are upheld by the mighty hand of God.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for always being with us. When the storms of this life surround us, please guide us to see You working amongst the storm. May we feel Your presence and peace. Allow these storms to strengthen our faith in You. We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
Call to Action
Where is there a storm in your life? What specific area of this storm can you surrender and hand over to the Lord?