If I had just one message to share with every person struggling with fear, depression or crippling anxiety, it would be this: God does not take away our problems–rather, he gives us the strength and resources we need to overcome them. When I was battling fear and panic, my greatest victory came with this revelation.
When I was struggling, I waited and waited and waited for God to zap this fear out of me. But, it never came. The longer I waited, the more frustrated I became. The more I prayed, the more I questioned God’s silence. “Where are you, God? Why won’t you help me?”
As I read through the Bible desperately searching for some answers, I noticed a pattern: Noah wasn’t saved from the flood–he was saved through it (Genesis 6-8). The three Hebrew boys were not saved from the fire–they were saved through it (Daniel 3). Jesus wasn’t exempt from temptation–he persevered through it (Matthew 4).
Then, I found this scripture in Isaiah where God is telling his children about the difficulties they’ll face: “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (43:2).
Notice what is said in this verse:
- when you go through…
- when you go through…
- when you walk through…
Yet, God promised them:
- “I will be with you.”
- “You will not drown.”
- “You will not be burned up.
- “The flames will not consume you.”
What are you deep waters? Loneliness, despair, depression? God will be with you. What are your rivers of difficulty? Driving alone, fearful nights, the grocery store? You will not drown.
Reading through the first part of that chapter, I could hear my Father’s gentle, caring voice. You can hear it too. Listen.
- “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine” (verse 1).
- “I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (verse 3).
- “You are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you” (verse 4).
- “Do not be afraid, for I am with you” (verse 5).
This week, spend some time with your Father. If you listen carefully with your heart, you will hear his words of love over you. Let his love carry you through the deep waters of depression and through the fiery flames of fear. In Christ, God is with you.
Prayer: Father, help me understand that you did not come into my life to take away my problems. Rather, you have come into my life to give me the strength and resources to rise above them. You have called me not to be an escape artist, but rather an overcomer. Lord, in Christ, I will overcome.
About Russ
When you have a thought/fear, how do you stop thinking about it constantly?
You have to retrain your mind. Right now, you’ve inadvertently trained your mind to focus on the fear/thought. It’s like a campfire. You would think blowing on it would cause it to go out, but what really happens when you blow on the fire, you feed it oxygen making it burn hotter. The same things happens when you focus on a fear thought–it feeds it more and more.
I had to really retrain my thinking. Dr. Claire Weekes talks about “floating a thought”. When you are hit with a fear thought or anxious thought, you have to train your mind to say, “This is just a thought. Nothing more.” And, you let that thought just float on past. As often as it comes, let it pass.
Here are a couple of scriptures that have been encouraging for me:
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.” Romans 12:2, NLT.
“Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness–righteous, holy, and true.” Ephesians 4:21-24, NLT.
Thanks Russ, I’ll give it a try. I like the idea of it floating by. Mary.
It works. It really does. Be persistent. If you have to float thoughts every ten seconds, then float them every ten seconds. It gets easier. That’s part of the “renewing of the mind” that happens.
Lord, please let your Spirit strength Mary as she learns this principle of floating a thought. Give her your strength. Encourage her. Help her. Let your grace guide her and give her the tools she needs to get free from these crippling thoughts, in Jesus’ name!
What a blessing this website is. I have prayed tried to cast out the spirit of fear ask God what’s wrong with me taken meds fasted given up hope, but htank God for this website I get it after all these years. Thanks I am certain that with much pratice I to will become free and no longer a slave of fear.
Eric, I know exactly what you’re going through. I’ve tried all that as well. Let me share what I have learned about trusting God through this. When my heart starts pounding, or my mind starts racing and my body goes numb–when that happens, I take a few deep breaths and say, “Lord, I will trust You! No matter what happens, I will trust you. If I die, I will trust you to take care of me. If I pass out, I will trust you to take care of me. No matter what happens, I will trust you.”
In 2000, something happened that changed my life. One night, I had a pivotal point in my battle with fear. It was about 3 am, and I awoke with fear consuming my body. This was a common experience for me. As I lay there ready to pounce out of bed in fear (my common response), I felt like the Lord was telling me, “If you choose to obey this fear and respond to it, then it is your master. Rather, trust me and I will take care of you.”
I was faced with a choice. I had to choose to not obey the fear. Even though my body and mind were freaking out, I had to choose. Do I listen to the fear, to my body, to my mind that telling me that something is terribly wrong? Or, do I listen to God who is telling me not to give in to the fear? Considering that this fear has lied to me the past, I decided to listen to God.
This was not an easy choice, because my body and mind were still experiencing the fear, but I chose not give in to it. I chose to obey God, not the fear. I laid there for an hour or so just trembling. It was very terrifying. But, that night was a pivotal point in my life. In the strength of God, I was able to choose not to obey the fear. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.” God will always give you the strength and grace to not give in to the fear. It may not feel like. It may not seem like it. But, he’s there. I know he is.
Romans 6:16 says, “Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master?” And 2 Peter 2:19 confirms this: “You are a slave to whatever controls you.”
In the days ahead, I was able to resist it more and more, never giving into the fear. Today, years later and medication free, I don’t experience those fearful episodes any more. Yes, occasionally, I experience a panic thought, but I don’t give in to it. I can’t. If I obey it, it will become my master.
Hope that helps!
Thank you so much for this website. i have really been praying about fear sometimes it feel as im gone leave this earth im so afraid. and all i think about if what if something happend to me i think about it so much i cant give life my all. now ever morning i wake up ready your web and i feel great thanks so much.