I’ve never stared down a Grizzly Bear waiting to charge.  I’ve never taken shelter from a Category 5 hurricane.  I’ve never personally experienced a war, or a host of other very fearful events that some people I know have gone through.  I am thankful that so far in my life I have not had to deal with any of those things, but I will admit that there have been many times when I was fearful.

I was terribly afraid when my father had open-heart surgery.  I was only a teenager and I feared for my father’s life.  I was frightened when my youngest child took a deep breath moments after she was born and her lung collapsed.  It was like time stood still until the doctor said she was okay.  I was terrified when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Not a day went by during treatment that I wasn’t in some way dreading the surgeries and chemo and the possibility of losing the battle with cancer.  To a lesser degree, my kids will attest to the fact that I am a constant worrier for their safety and well-being.  I don’t rest easy until I’ve heard from them, especially when they’ve been traveling any distance, even if it is just ten minutes across town.  I tell them, “Mama worries.”  They roll their eyes and say, “No kidding!”

One of the scariest moments of my life was just before I said, “Yes!” to Jesus.  That may sound strange, but I’m being honest.  I knew I needed Him, but I also knew I was totally unworthy of the Love only He could offer to me.  I had done it my way for so long and I had come to realize that it was getting me nowhere.  I was lost and I needed a Saviour!

I felt like I was getting ready to plunge off a cliff into some mysterious unknown if I didn’t do something drastic and I was absolutely terrified.  I wasn’t sure I wanted to let go of my life even if it was destructive.  I’d been wallowing in the mud so long, I was now pretty comfortable there.  My then boyfriend, Charles, (who would later became my husband), had shared the Gospel with me but I still wasn’t ready to make a commitment.  I also thought I should get myself together first before I started following God because I was convinced He wouldn’t have any use for me as I was.  I had done too many things to be ashamed of.  I just wasn’t good enough for Jesus.  There was this spiritual tug-of-war raging inside of me, an inward battle of wills, mine against the pull of God.  Finally, when I ran out of excuses, I let go of the rope and fell into His Embrace.

Peace.  That was the first thing I felt when I said, “Yes!” to Christ.  I knew Jesus would not love me more or less than He did right then.  I would never be able to work hard enough, or do enough to have Him love me more.  He had completely forgiven me of my past, the Holy Spirit would be my constant companion in my present, and my eternal salvation was secure for my future.  Repenting of my sin, accepting Jesus as God’s only Son, and believing that He died on the Cross and rose again three days later, freed me to live my life without condemnation.  I was, and still am, forgiven.

I am also human.  Fear and worry are very hard to let go of.  When I feel those emotions bubble up inside me, I seek refuge in the comfort of Scripture.  Circumstances in life, like battling cancer, or being in the middle of a raging storm may be scary, but I know God is in control.  No matter what life throws at me, I need not be defeated by fear.  I can rise above it as long as my focus is on Jesus and not on my circumstances.

I’ve compiled a list of 50 Encouraging Scripture Verses to Combat Fear.  If you are experiencing fear and worry in your life right now, draw near to the One Who can calm any storm you might face.  You are not alone.  Accept the Amazing Grace He offers to you.  Remember, Jesus will not love you more or less than He does right now.  He loves you exactly as you are, and exactly where you are.  The exciting thing is, He will not leave you as He first found you!  He has a plan and purpose for your life!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

(If you have never said “Yes” to Jesus, read: The Gospel Message – Get it?  Got it?  Good?)  ❤