How to Defeat Fear

No one I know would choose to live in fear. But even the most gifted or wealthiest among us do not have all good days, or only sunshine and no shadows, no troubles.

One way to defeat fear is to face it . . . not try to dodge it, or run away from it. Let’s see what Psalm 56:1-13 has to say about it.

David prayed honest prayers while fearing for his life. He told God he was being pursued by men who wanted him dead. They were relentless, planning his demise, lurking about, and always watching him!

Notice three important steps to facing fear: First, he poured out his heart to God and asked for help. Then he declared he chose to trust in God and His word. Last came a decision to control his thoughts; he would not concentrate on his enemies or their evil plans (Psalm 56:3-4, 10-11).

I don’t know where I heard this, but someone said, “When fear knocks at your door, send faith to answer it!” (Perhaps they were familiar with 1 Peter 5:8-9a).

Faith includes trust in God’s word. How well do you know it? Hopefully, you pursue it daily. Read it, make notes, highlight verses that speak to you. That’s when it becomes personal!

What do you do when God answers prayer? David said, “I will praise His word, give thank offerings to God, and walk before Him in the light” (Psalm 56:10-13).

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” And Psalm 40:8 says, “I delight to do your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”

We can defeat fear.

Thanks to the internet, we live in a connected world, full of reasons to fear. Some are up close and personal, while others come on the news from far away.

Would I want to return to days without cell phones or internet capabilities? No, and I doubt you would either.

What I want to do is defeat fear by following David’s example: (1) Know God’s word, (2) Trust in it, (3) Pour out my heart, (4) Ask for help, and (5) Control my thoughts.

 Pixabay: Man, Head, Scared Image; PublicDomainPictures.

When the Wind Blows

WHEN the WIND BLOWS*

Just a couple of days ago a strong stormy wind got our attention. My husband and I saw the dark clouds while running errands. We were thankful to be safe inside when the storm arrived.

I've been in major rains before, but this storm seemed even more fierce. From our living room window, we watched the wind blow sheets of rain off our roof and out over the deck.

The electricity went off and on three times in fifteen minutes. I was glad we had a couple of battery-powered backup units for the computer and entertainment center. But the storm reminded me to share a story I had written about another windy day. 

Here it is:

A Photo Reminder

I always smile when I look at a photo posted in front of my desk. I took it on a vacation while trying to keep my balance by leaning against a tree. The wind nearly bowled me over as I was standing on a bluff overlooking a small valley.

I finally decided to enjoy the view from our car, though there was a wire fence in that area.

I thought the fence would hinder my view but I had some great entertainment. A variety of birds did touch-and-go landings on the fence just to the right of my passenger-side window. With such strong wind I was amazed they chose to land on a wire at all.

Finally, a pretty blue bird with a white underbelly landed with his feet about two inches apart. His tail stuck nearly straight up for balance. My photo is a little blurry because I hurried to get the picture.

I thought he would take off quickly like the others, but he didn’t. My husband and I both admired that little bird’s tenacity since he was fighting the same wind we had just fought.

High Winds

You’ve probably heard about winds of adversity. Adversity can be something physical or mental that causes us to struggle. It may cause us to feel perplexed, confused or uncertain and we feel at a loss, wondering what to do.

In Psalm 42:5 David asked himself, Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? In 2 Corinthians 4:8, Paul wrote about being hard-pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down. Those are good reasons to be downcast, but both men chose to keep their focus beyond life’s challenges and frustrations.

High Hopes

David encouraged himself with a little self-talk saying, “Put your hope in God for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5).

Paul wrote that in spite of all the adversity he experienced, he was not crushed or in despair, nor did he feel abandoned or destroyed. He chose to focus on things unseen, “since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Keep Your Focus

As I watched that little bird land on the wire, I wondered what’s your motivation? All the other birds barely landed before they took off! One thing for sure, it was a personal choice.

Like the little bird, we do a balancing act. 

While acknowledging the reality of what our senses tell us is happening, we can move past that to focus on eternal, unseen things known by faith and hope in God and His word.

Remember, when the wind blows and you’re facing adversity, choose your focus and hang on.

Note: Do you know someone who would find this story encouraging? Why not forward it to them?

*When the Wind Blows is from my book REFLECTIONS: Inspirational Stories from Everyday Life (available from BookLocker.com)

Can't Stop the Rain

CAN’T STOP the RAIN

As a child growing up on Midwest plains, I was always happy when it rained. To my mother’s dismay, that also included stomping through muddle puddles. It was fine if I had on my rubber boots. But one rainy day created an indelible memory.

As a first grader, I was walking home from school when it started to rain. I was so happy at seeing a big muddy puddle, that I actually sat down in it. I had great fun splashing the water around . . . until mom saw me.

She was extremely upset and brought me inside the house. While changing clothes I got the clear message NOT to do that again! But mom used a real clincher to make her point. She sent me to bed without supper.

That was a first! Mud puddle fascination disappeared on my empty stomach. But it didn’t destroy my joy of rain.

More Rain

In adult years we moved to the coast of northwest Washington. As a newbie, I decided to enjoy a walk in light misty rain. Even with an umbrella I got chilled to the bone. I looked forward to home and a nice hot shower.

Here in northern Arizona, I’m presented with another type of rain. Flashes of lightning and pounding thunder are preludes to cloud bursts. I own umbrellas, but at this stage of life I prefer to wait it out. Cloudbursts are many, but they don’t last long.

A Rainy Day Song

I used to enjoy B.J. Thomas singing “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head.”* The melody and rhythm were catchy, though I never caught all the words.

I recently looked up the lyrics and enjoyed the story line. First, the guy acknowledges that annoying raindrops are falling on his head. Then he decides not to get the blues.

He doesn’t believe you can stop the rain by crying over it or complaining about it. So, he chooses to stay positive and believe for a happier (dry) day. With that attitude, he’s free to enjoy life in spite of the rain.

Rain . . . Now What?

I was thinking about the old platitude “into each life some rain must fall.” Rain seems to be a code for troubles, with many variations. Have you ever truly known a person who lives a totally trouble-free life?

Jesus even told his disciples they would have many trials and sorrows on earth. He also gave words of encouragement with no exclusions.

First, He said, Peace is available in Me.” Second, He said, “Take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33NLT). After being crucified, God raised Him from the dead on the third day. What could be more powerfully overcoming than that?

We can't stop the rain, no matter how it comes. But we can decide how to respond to it.

*Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 1969.