Don’t Be Afraid

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Just because you're a grown-up doesn't mean that you don’t experience a little fear from time to time. I’m no longer afraid of spiders or the dark like I was when I was a kid, but sometimes life can still be a little scary. In times such as these, Isaiah 41 helps me keep things in perspective. “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you,” God says through the prophet.

God is with us. God was with Israel in the Old Testament as they faced giants, lions, and city walls. He was there when Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers, abandoned, and sold into slavery. God was with the Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. He was with Gideon in the winepress. He was there in the cave when David was hiding from Saul. God was with Moses in the desert.

God is always with us. Jesus became the embodiment of God with us when he was laid in a manger, died on the cross, and rose from the grave. We don’t have to be afraid, because God is with us. We don’t have to be discouraged, because the God who is with us is our God. He’s the one who spoke and galaxies appeared, the one who parts the sea and shuts the mouth of lions. He’s the one who makes iron float and the sun stand still. He is with us. He is our God.

Next time you are afraid, remember that you don’t have to be afraid. God will strengthen you and help you. He will hold you up with His victorious right hand.