Read Psalm 118
Two servicemen from a gas and electric company were checking meters in a suburban neighborhood. They parked their truck at the end of the street and worked their way to the other end. At the very last house a middle-aged woman watched out the kitchen window as the two men checked her gas meter. When finished, one of the servicemen challenged the other to a foot race back down the street to the truck.
As they neared the truck, they noticed that the lady from the last house was huffing and puffing right behind them. They stopped and asked her what was wrong. Gasping for breath, she said, “When I see two gas men running full speed away from my house, I figured I had better run too!”
Most of us experience fear of some kind, from mild anxiety to absolute terror. Some are afraid to fly; others are terrified of public speaking, dying or being mugged. The list of things we fear is almost endless. The hands tremble, the voice quivers, the heart pounds and we lie awake at night tossing and turning out of fear.
Most of our fears are unfounded. We fret about things that will never happen and worry about things we can’t control. The Psalmist wrote, “The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.” (Psalm 118:6-9)
Most Christians know the many commands not to fear. We’ve read the assurances that God is our helper. We believe God is more trustworthy than the most reliable man, but we still fret. How can we conquer our fears?
Here are 5 questions to ask when you are fearful.
1. Have I prayed about it? Oswald Chambers wrote, “Unbelief begins when we say, ‘I will not trust what I cannot see.’ All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without God.” The Apostle Paul advises us not to be anxious about anything but to pray about everything” (See Phil. 4:6-7).
2. Do I believe what I say I believe? I once fretted over a phone call that had informed me my father had just had a serious stroke. A preacher who had been a friend for a long time said matter-of-factly, “Well, now it’s time for you to believe what you say you believe.” Do you really believe there is a God who loves you as a Father and has promised to bring all things together for your good? If you believe that, then act like it. Turn the future over to Him, that’s His specialty!
3. Can I survive the worst with God’s help? Instead of trying to put the worst case scenario out of your mind (which is impossible), face it. If the dreaded thing happens, God will be there reinforcing you by His Holy Spirit. Romans 8:39 promises that nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God. Victor Hugo wrote, “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones. And when you have accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace, God is awake.”
4. How much will it matter 100 years from now? One hundred years from now we’ll be with the Lord and the problems that seem so gigantic today will seem insignificant then. “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).
5. Am I making the most of today? Since I can’t control the future, I’m not going to let it rob me of the thrill of living today. I’ll enjoy the present moment. Sir William Osler, organizer of the John Hopkins School of Medicine said, “Our main business is not to see what lies dimly in the distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.” The Psalmist wrote, “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).