Fears.

We all have them, it’s a matter of what we will do when fear arises.

Fear can be defined as an unpleasant emotion that is likely to cause pain or poses a threat. The problem with fear is found in the very word – “likely”, as that means it is also unlikely to occur.

The book landed in my mailbox quite by surprise from a friend. It came at the perfect time, when fear was beginning to shake me, literally. Since I first opened the book in February, (yes, it truly has been that long!), I have quite slowly (understatement) made my way through the book.

The book, Afraid Of All The Things by Scarlet Hiltibidal has been my companion over these last few months. Each day, I have read several pages and savored the thoughts over the course of the day. It’s an easy read and will make you laugh (a lot!) and cry and nod your head in agreement.

These are all the reasons the book has felt like a friend and coming to the last page was not something I wanted to do.

Fear is in our lives because we live in a broken world. Simply turn on the news and you will hear, and see, the evidence. But we do not need to live in fear, meaning we do not need to let fear control our lives. It does not need to fill our thoughts and hearts.

We need to fill our hearts and minds more than ever with more of Jesus.

“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27, NLT)

Those words came right from the mouth of Christ. John heard them with his own ears and recorded them for our benefit.

“Calm is found in the already finished work of Christ.”

(Afraid Of All The Things, page 4)

This does not mean there aren’t things to be afraid of – there surely are. This means we need not face them on our own. Jesus offers us Himself every single day, in every single situation we face.

Jesus is with us and this is the truth with which we live and conquer our fears. We must remember He will never leave us, He will sustain us and bring us through.

“So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.” (Psalm 46:2, NLT)

Why?

“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.”
(Psalm 46:11, NLT)

We can depend on His Presence to be with us when everything seems to be falling apart. All things are in the control of our sovereign God.

Upon closing the book, I opened it again to the introduction to re-read this powerful truth:

“The gospel tells me I can’t fix myself.
The gospel tells me I can’t protect myself.
But the gospel tells me I can rest, knowing that Jesus walked into this broken, sad, scary place to rescue me and love me and cast out fear. And He did and He does and He will.”

(also from page 4)

“I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.”
(Psalm 34:4, NLT)

And in this I rest,
He did.
He does.
He will.

Afraid Of All The Things will remind you of these truths in the sweetest and funniest of ways. It’s a wonderful read which will encourage your heart to rest in the completed work of Christ and in His peace.

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Today I am joining … Destination Inspiration and Tune In Thursday and Booknificent Thursdays .