How To Live Unafraid During These Unsettling Times

I journeyed out from my home yesterday with face mask in hand. I don’t leave my home very often these days, so it’s kind of a big event when I do. As I was driving to my destination, I began to be filled with all sorts of anxiousness. Here, I had left my safe place, my sanctuary, my hideaway from this pandemic. And I was now exposing myself to the world, to dangerous germs, to things unknown. I know what I can expect inside of my home. But outside of it? Well, who knows?

In a matter of minutes I went from feeling excited to venturing out to feelings of fear and trembling with the unknown. Goodness, is this the way it’s going to be from now on? Will I be scared to leave my home? Yikes. These real thoughts followed my feelings. And, I didn’t like them one bit.

Seriously. Is this the way it’s going to be?

Part of me desired to turn around and head back home. The other part decided to keep driving. I prayed as I drove. Something like this:

“God, you do not want me to live afraid. I know that. But, this world is a scary place right now. In Your Word, however, You say ‘do not fear’ a number of times. Your Words are true, and so I can trust what You say. I know fear is not from You. I know living in fear is not how You want me to live today or any day. So, Father, would You help me to live life today unafraid? Would You help me to be unafraid of people? Would You help me to be unafraid of this virus? Thank You, Lord, that You’re in control and that I don’t have to be. It’s in Your name I pray. Amen.”

As I pulled into the Target drive-up area, thankfully the fear-filled feelings subsided. Until the Target employee came to my window with my order. Feeling he was a little too close to me (within the 6-foot guideline), I wish I would have had my mask on. And just like that, those fear-filled feelings quickly returned. But, he was wearing a St. Louis Cardinals sweatshirt, so that made him safe, right? He scanned my phone, loaded my order in the back of my vehicle, and was gone as quickly as he appeared.

With a long nervous sigh, I recognized that even though God gave me peace after I prayed, I would still need to continue to live it out. This would require me to wholeheartedly trust God when the feelings of fear return. So, I prayed again.

Lord, help me live unafraid.

Friend, how are you doing today in living unafraid? Do you find yourself struggling at all with this, or are you doing okay? I pray you are. I pray you’re so fixed on trusting God that fear doesn’t ever have a place in your thoughts, your emotions, your life. Lord God, please help me get there.

I tend to visit openbible.info often when it comes to searching for Bible verses on a certain subject. When you do a search, the results show verses in the Bible that pertain to your subject. Clicking on the highlighted verses takes you to biblegateway.com. Another resource I use almost daily. There you can search all translations for a specific verse. It’s amazing! So, when I searched ‘bible verses about fear,’ I found a simple verse that I can memorize and say when I become afraid. I chose it in the NET translation:

When I am afraid, I trust in you.

Psalm 56:3 NET

Simple, huh? That’s one I can repeat again and again and again. Maybe this might be of help to you, too.

God desires we live unafraid.

To instead live in His presence, in His grace, in His love. Fear is not present in any of those, after all, fear does not come from God. He desires to free us from fear and anxiety, so when we offer them to Him, He is faithful to respond. He is faithful to heal us from these disastrous emotions. You and are free to live unafraid. Our part, then, is to walk it out in real life. One moment at a time, one day at a time. Trusting God as we go.

Friend, let’s help each other choose to live unafraid today. To live in faith and trust and hope. Let’s encourage one another to do so daily. We’re in this together, and I’m so glad we are.

God bless you, friend. You are His beloved.