Do not fear for I am with you, do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you and uphold you with my righteous right hand.
—Isaiah 41:10
Alone in the dark, an unusual noise startles you. Immediately fear invades your body. Like a lightning bolt in a storm, fear jumpstarts the nervous system into action. Has this ever happened to you? Let me set the scene…
Darkness fills the room. As you snuggle under the covers, you feel relaxed and comfortable. But your contentment is disrupted by an unusual, frightening sound. You burrow deeper into the bed like a turtle vanishing into his shell. Your imagination runs wild as you hear the noise again. This time it’s not quite so intrusive. With legs trembling, you make a dash for the light switch. The second light fills the room, a sigh of relief escapes. As you tiptoe to the window, you hear the Mission Impossible song playing in your head. You let out an even bigger sigh when you realize the mysterious noise was just a branch scraping against the windowpane.
Why, when we hear sounds in the darkness, do we experience fear? Why do we experience trembling and unrealistic thoughts? These feelings apply to spiritual darkness too. Sin creates pitch-black areas in our lives, and in turn, these create fear, guilt, anxiety, and hopelessness. Just like turning on a light replaces darkness, we can avoid spiritual darkness by running to the Light—Jesus. Believe and know He is waiting for you to fall into His arms of security!
PRAYER CHALLENGE
Cuddle up in your prayer chair and memorize Isaiah 41:10. Do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you and uphold you with my righteous right hand. Write it down and strategically put it someplace to constantly remind you of the One who is our help and guide. Prayer is the key to relinquishing fear of the unknown. Ask Jesus to help you replace your fears with trust. Trust Jesus in every way, in everything!
