Take That Fear!

I had spent most of Christmas break wiping down doorknobs, sanitizing the kitchen, and spraying disinfectant on the “sick” chair. I was at war with my husband’s flu. I even taught my two year old to shake her hands at him and say, “Don’t touch me; you’re sick.” I think it was safe to say that for those six days, all I could think about was my fear of the flu. I watched my husband shaking and coughing in bed while I browsed social media only to find multiple posts about the “flu epidemic” and headlines about flu related deaths. I started to feel like there was nothing my all powerful Lysol could do. It was coming to get us! I found myself crying and running upstairs to hold my precious baby praying that the flu would not touch her or take her from me.

Have you ever found yourself drenched in unrelenting fear? Maybe it was the first night with your new baby and even though you hadn’t slept in 25 hours, you woke up every five minutes to check if the baby was breathing. Maybe it was when you were pregnant again and knew you could never have enough time and love for three kids. Maybe it was when your 16 year old baby was going out with friends and you feared his ability to make good choices. Maybe it’s right now and at this moment you find yourself running upstairs to pray.

And that’s where Jesus has been waiting for you. I imagine him smiling, holding me tight, probably shaking his head, reminding me, “Don’t be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and with thanksgiving tell me what you need. And my peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind” (Phil. 4:6-7). In moments when you can’t understand how it’s possible to escape your fear, remind yourself of your blessings with prayers of gratitude and let his peace pour over you and fill you up so that there is no room for fear. Allow this peace to take hold, to “guard your heart and your mind” from all that worries you and let him remind you that “perfect love drives out all fear” (1 John 4:18) So run upstairs and let this Perfect Love hold you, calm you, and remind who is really in control.