“Do not fear, for I am with you;
Isaiah 41:10 HCSB
do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you; I will help you;
I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.”
When I was a young teenager, a friend invited me to walk to the local pool with her. I’m not much of a swimmer and the pool required us to walk through a neighborhood that included a wooded area.
I asked my mom if I could go, and she initially said no. I really wanted to go, so I wrote a note explaining that we can’t worry about all the “What ifs?” in this life.
I’m not sure what I said or what happened to the note, but my mom read it. With tears in her eyes, she told me I could go.
There’s a balance between wisdom and worry. God calls us to be aware of our surroundings, use good judgment, and make wise decisions. But He didn’t intend for us to live in fear.
How many opportunities have we missed because our focus was on what might happen instead of how the Lord could lead us through?
What If?
What if we lived each day in fear?
Would we reach our potential
or hold the Lord near?
How could we follow
where the Lord leads,
if we bury our heads
or fearfully flee?
The Lord will stay with us
and guide us along.
His ways are faithful;
His protection is strong.
As David faced Goliath
confident in God’s might,
He trusted the Lord
would help him
to win the fight.
As Peter walked on water,
to Jesus’ voice,
We can follow His lead.
We have a choice.
A moment of doubt
Peter started to sink
Jesus gave him His hand
And made Peter think.
What if instead of living
our lives full of fear,
We talked to the Lord,
and drew ever near?
It won’t always be easy.
Some days we’ll still shake.
But God gives us courage
for each step we take.
We won’t know all the answers
or see what’s ahead.
Yet we can pray,
following God’s lead instead.
Our lives will have challenges, but the Lord promises to help us through. When we trust in Him, fear loses its grip, and faith begins to grow. “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” (Psalm 56:3)
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for being greater than our fears. At times, our minds fill with “What ifs?”. Help us to replace our anxious thoughts with confidence in Your promises. Give us wisdom to make good decisions, courage to follow where You lead, and peace that comes from knowing You’re always near. In Christ’s name,
Amen.
Journal: What if you took one small step of faith this week, trusting God with the outcome? What has He been calling you to do?