It is easy to see why there is so much fear and uncertainty in the world today. Our lives have been turned upside down by COVID. When will we return to some kind of normal?

The future seems so uncertain. God understands your fear and anxiety, and he wants to help you face your fears with the assurance that you don’t have to do it alone.

JOSHUA 1: 9

This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Yes, we can be strong and courageous amid great adversity because God is with us. He is Emmanuel. We can rely on him even when others may abandon us.

Not all fear is bad. Some fear is healthy, and it will help to keep you safe. Some fear is unhealthy, and it will confuse you, paralyze you and cause you to make terrible decisions and become irrational.

My healthy fear of electricity will protect me. In this sense, a better word to use is respect. Often when we are instructed in the scriptures that we should fear God, it means we should respect God. He is our friend, but we are not his equals. He is the creator; we are the created. Even though I respect electricity, I still use it and enjoy the benefits of electricity (that is when we don’t have load shedding!) My relationship with God is based on my respect for him, knowing that I cannot take liberties with him just because he is loving, forgiving and gracious.

My unhealthy fear of electricity will keep me cold and in the dark. My unhealthy fear of God will keep me cold and in the dark.

2 TIMOTHY 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

The opposite of fear is often described as courage, but it is also love that casts out all fear. God’s love enables us to live in power and to have self-discipline. You can make it. God is on your side.