Facing Fear with Faith

I have always had fears. When I was a child, I feared being separated from my parents. When I was a teen-ager, I feared being unaccepted by my peers. When I was a college student, I feared not finding the perfect mate for life. When I was a Seminary student, I feared not finding God’s will for the perfect profession. When I was a young adult, I feared not raising my kids correctly. When I was a median adult, I feared being unsuccessful in ministry. When I was a senior adult, I feared retirement. As a retired adult, I fear uncertain health and financial issues. I have always had fears. So, it’s a good thing that I discovered Psalm 56:3 early on: “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” One reason I love the Psalms is that David never hesitated to share his fears. In fact, he may have shared them too often. Fear often makes us feel that we need God, and leads us to Him when we realize that we have no power to protect ourselves from impending dangers. I appreciate David teaching me that it is possible for fear and faith to occupy the mind at the same time. Like the Psalmist, I discovered trust in the Lord as the best antidote against fear. Join me this week as we face our fears with faith.

Join me also as we remember the following global prayer requests:
• Pray for Martha and the German collegiate ministry staff as they have their retreat on April 30 – May 1st) in Braunschweig, Germany.
• Pray for the Vancouver Vision Tour the latter part of this week.
• Pray for Stephen as he records 30 stories in the dialect of English used by the IT professionals in the country where he serves.
• Pray for those who serve in Mali as they wait to see if and when they can return to their country.
• Pray for Gary and Carolyn as they return to Eastern Hungary where their house was broken into while they were in the US.