“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.” (Psalm 46:1-2a)

I have more fears than I would like to admit. Even when I know I have no reason to fear, I cannot will myself to feel differently. God has been with my family and me through every storm we’ve encountered, and I know He’ll continue to be, yet the enemy wants to convince me that this time will be different.

Throughout Scripture, God’s people were told not to fear. He knows we have a tendency to do so. Whether it’s fear of the dark, the unknown, being alone, the future, or death (probably the greatest fear of all), we truly have nothing to fear if we know the Lord.

The Psalm I quoted above goes on to say:

“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.” (Psalm 46:4-5)

The thought of a gently flowing river in the city of God gives me a picture of perfect peace, where we will have nothing to fear because God will be in our midst. But the fact is, He is here already! He longs to fill our hearts with peace as we trust Him for the things we can’t control. I cannot picture a life without fear or anxiety, but this morning, I’m praying for that. I know that is His desire for all of us. After all, fear is the opposite of faith, and “without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6). I’m trusting we all want to please our loving Heavenly Father today. Let’s fill our minds with what is pure, lovely, and of good report and meditate on those things (Philippians 4:8). I believe that is the first step to overcoming fear.