The blood drained from my face, and I felt my heartbeat in my ears. I looked for my shoes, quickly changed from pajamas to regular clothes, and haphazardly repacked my suitcase.
I listened to my sister-in-law’s voice on the other end of the phone: “He’s been in an accident … his truck flipped … I’m not sure about his condition, but he’s at the hospital.” My parents and I were an hour from the hospital, near my brother’s accident. We sat silently for the drive, all gripped by fear and shock.
Would he be alive by the time we got there?
What happens when the worst-case scenario comes true? When fear threatens to overgrow our faith, where do we turn? We can all recall moments when fear consumed us that the world seemed to halt altogether. But I suspect fear haunts us more subtly and persistently each day.
Fear wakes us in the dead of night.
It takes us from sleep.
It keeps our phones nearby, afraid of what might happen if we’re unavailable.
It devours our peace, demanding more time, attention, worry and conversation.
That’s the thing about fear. It’s never satisfied to be fed once or twice. It refuses to sit in the corner unnoticed or unchecked; it insists on being noticed. The more it’s fed, the more it demands. Of course, there are legitimate things to fear and reasons to fear them. Not all fear is sin, and fear may serve us well in a host of situations or scenarios. I’m not sure fear itself creates problems, but what we do with fear may.
In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus’ disciples felt paralyzing fear as their lives were threatened in a violent storm. Jesus, however, slept soundly through the storm. When the disciples woke him, he replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” and with the sound of his voice, he calmed the wind and waves.
The storm ceased.
In their fear, the disciples sought relief from their troubles. The Bible doesn’t say they paddled harder, adjusted their sails, or tried steering in a new direction to keep their boat from going under. No, they went to Jesus and said, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
What if we made a habit of running to the Lord with our fears? What if we refused to entertain all the thoughts of what if? and went instead to our Savior who not only cares but whose voice the wind and waves obey?
My brother lived. Despite all odds and after three months in the hospital, the Lord was merciful to him and spared his life. At every turn, the Lord was so near to our family. He not only held all the answers; He held us in our questioning and fear. He was available in the storm and calmed the waves of fear threatening to drown us.
When the worst-case scenario comes true, or when you feel like you are losing the battle to fear, to what or whom will you run? Will you let fear paralyze you, or will you go to a God who sees you, cares for you and is an available refuge in life’s storms?
“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.”- Psalm 29:10