No Fear in His Peace
by Lori Mumford
“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you, declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 41:13-14 NIV
My husband was deployed, and we had recently moved off-base. A repairman was in my home, and our conversation led into my husband’s work. For whatever reason, I began to get the creeps. I thought, This stranger knows too much about us. I’m not comfortable with the questions I’ve just answered. I quickly said something to show we were protected, so I blurted out, “Well, our dog really pulls through when he has to.” There sat my cowardly, golden retriever, leaning into this man’s leg, looking up with adoring eyes. The man knew it was a lie. That night as I lay in bed, I listened to all the new creaks and groans of the place and imagined all kinds of horrors which involved this repairman. I prayed in fear and didn’t sleep well.
I couldn’t shake the spooks for the next few days, and I sought God’s Word. It said that He is my Protector and to not fear, for He will rescue me. I struggled with this. Why, then, do bad things happen to His people? Why are they killed, persecuted, or suffer other hardships? How do I find peace when these things still happen to us? It doesn’t appear that the apostles shared my fears. Many suffered horribly, but Paul boasts about his sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 – 12:1-10. He says in 2 Corinthians. 12:10 NIV, “That is why for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul rests in God’s promise to us. Isaiah 39:29, 31 NIV says, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
God doesn’t promise that bad things won’t befall His children. We will go through storms, but He will be with us. The winds will rage around us, but He is eager to calm our spirits. Philippians 4:6-7 NIV says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Ask Him, and He will give you peace.
As I continued to pray, He calmed me and gave me trust. I must give Him my fears, trust that He will never leave me nor forsake me, and believe that His hand will guide me and hold me fast. When I do pass through waters, He will be with me; and when I pass through rivers, they will not sweep over me; and when I walk through fire, I will not be burned, (Isaiah 43:2). My Protector will take my hand and will be with me.
Ask
Do I let fears of the unknown consume my thoughts?
Pray
Dear Lord,
I feel scared about ________. Lord, you say to not be anxious for anything; give all of my worries to you. So, I give this to you, Lord. Help me trust You in everything, and may Your peace guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Amen
*The above devotion is an excerpt from the book Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives (Moody Publishers 2008). Visit the Faith Deployed blog and bookstore.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
This is beautiful and really blessed me, thank you for sharing! I especially loved this line and thought to ponder. My Protector will take my hand and will be with me.
Ask
Do I let fears of the unknown consume my thoughts?
lately, I would have to admit, “yes!”.. but once again I am bringing it back to Him. and letting go.
hugs, Jenn
We are retired’ 25 years of service to our country. Now our eldest son is setting out on his journey and those old fears are creeping in. I write this as I sit weeping hearing him clean out and pack for his leaving on weds. This message came like a true word straight from Jesus’s mouth as if he was standing in front of me. Thank you for letting God speak through you to me and probably many others who needed this word of encouragement at this exact moment!
Lisa, I’m so glad to hear this spoke to your heart! I can’t imagine what you are going through right now as your son is about to deploy, but we’ll be praying for you. If you haven’t already gotten it, I highly recommend the new book Faith Deployed…Again, which just released last month. It has a special section of devotions written by and for Blue Star Moms just like you.
Blessings,
Jocelyn
This is just what I needed today! I have been struggling with “something” (not sure what it is) – anxiety, depression, worry, fear, or a little bit of everything. TRYING so hard to give it to God and I have been praying for these feelings to be gone…so this is perfect! I know it is common for military wives to have these feelings, and it helps to know others understand – and we can learn from eachother. I am praying for peace and comfort and understanding…and to feel better! Thank you again!
Thank you so much for this. My husband us deployed and I moved from California to Texas (hometown) by myself with the kids to find a house and finish school. The security if living on base is long gone and I stay up at night listening to every noise in my home. It’s sad my fears won’t even allow me to see the blessings that have been bestowed upon me. Besides being lonely and family not really understanding what I’m going through I’ve been struggling with increased anxiety. Constantly regretting my decision to move back home to Houston without my husband. But because of higher tenure we had no choice but to make that move. I will take heed to everything you said and remind myself whom is in control. Thank you for being a blessing to me.