But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3 NLT
If someone you know has a reaction or makes a decision that doesn’t fit their normal character and you could ask them what prompted that decision, most often an honest answer would be, “I was afraid.” There are all sorts of things that make us afraid. Rejection, loss, pain, disappointment, risk – the reasons for fear are endless. I remember years ago when I was a young wife and mother, I had an incredible opportunity to get involved with people who could help me with my writing and my future. I needed to go to an all-expense paid conference for two days. It seemed to be a no-brainer decision. My husband was all for it. But I found myself strangely paralyzed by fear. I had not flown much at that point in life, and I had a fear of flying. I couldn’t admit that my fear was taking over my mind and spirit, and so I actually made myself physically ill so I had a “legit” reason to stay home.
In retrospect, so ridiculous. I see that in that situation and many others for other reasons, when I was afraid, I caved into my fear. I believed the lies and managed to find ways to camouflage my fears, but certainly not defeat them. My victory came from learning what David learned.
We can think that once we place our faith in Jesus for salvation, we will automatically TRUST Him for everything. It doesn’t work that way. Our decision to trust Jesus for life will repeatedly be tested. We have an Enemy, after all, and since He can’t take away our relationship with Jesus, he will settle for making us miserable and afraid. Every time I have a new challenge or a fear arises, I have exactly the same choice David had. I choose who will be in control and who I will trust.
My first step is to choose that God is in control of my life, not me. Acknowledge fear: David's (and mine) fear is not a sign of weak faith; it is a real human emotion. The power is in the response to fear, not its absence. Choose to trust: This verse is a statement of deliberate choice. Instead of letting fear paralyze you, actively choose to trust God. This means shifting your focus from the fear to faith in God's character and promises. Trust is active, not passive. It means that I consistently turn to God in prayer, praise, and I speak words of truth and trust. I choose to remind myself of His faithfulness, and my trust grows.
- When our daughter was deeply hurt as a child and suffered fear and nightmares for some time, we taught her to say aloud with David, “When I am afraid, I will trust in You.” I still say it, and my confidence grows. What a difference He makes.