Sarah and I were strolling the cobblestone sidewalk, enjoying the sunshine by the waterfront, when she saw the birds. A flock of pigeons had gathered at the other end of the sidewalk, pecking and squawking. In her 3-year-old mind, it was, in fact, the end of the world.
She began wailing at the top of her little lungs, tears streaming down her cheeks in full blown panic.
“It’s okay.” I told her in my soothing voice. “They’re not going to bother us!”
I was sure she was worried they would fly near us and pester her or worse, steal her snacks. But I pressed in to ask, “Why are you afraid of the birds, Sarah?” And she told me her reality.
“They’re going to EAT MEEEEE!” she wailed.
I knew full well these birds wouldn’t eat her and that it was irrational to believe so, but in her little world that was the only reality. She was frozen in fear, her feet glued to the stony ground.
“Come on,” I beckoned, “Let’s go the other way.” Her breaths were still coming rapidly and the tears falling freely, but she stopped a moment and took a deep breath. And then, I watched her do a remarkable thing. She spoke truth to herself.
“I’m safe,” she said aloud. And then she began to walk.
Fears of any size can paralyze us. No matter how irrational, when anxiety rears its ugly head we believe it may just gobble us up. Fear has real repercussions on our physical bodies, often causing us to breathe faster, our heart rate to rise, our vessels to constrict, and our glands to pour sweat. It can even cause lightheadedness and nausea.
How interesting that a belief in the mind can so dramatically affect our physical bodies. I saw it firsthand in Sarah that day as she froze in panic.
These physical symptoms begin by encountering a fear and believing a lie behind it.
Personally, I often find myself fearing the unknown, anxiety rising when I sense something is out of my control. Why? I believe the lie that it’s all up to me.
Maybe for you it’s a different lie. It could be a lie of regret: “If only I had…” Or one of shame: “I’ll never be able to…” Or fear of loss: “I could never survive if…”
There are several reasons we are not supposed to live in fear. The first is that it distorts our reality.
When we live in fear, we live as though the feared thing is reality.
We are already living, either mentally or even physically, with the consequences as though the feared thing has happened.
The second reason we aren’t supposed to live in fear: it’s a command.
Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Jesus commanded us not to live in fear, and not to let anxiety and worry plague our days.
He said in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
It hit me recently why we are not supposed to worry about tomorrow. Lamentations 3:23 says that the Lord gives us new mercies every morning. We aren’t supposed to worry about tomorrow because we don’t have the grace and mercy yet for tomorrow! We will get the mercy for each day on that day. What a neat thought. The Lord will prepare us each day for what that day brings.
The last reason we aren’t supposed to worry and live in fear is that it doesn’t work!
The Word says that trusting in the Lord and keeping our eyes on Him is what truly works to steady our days and still our anxious hearts.
Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”
Psalm 118:6-7 “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper.”
Let’s commit today, friends, to hand our worries and fears to the Lord. Let’s ask Him what He has for us and who He wants to be to us today. He meets every need and fills every longing. We need only ask. His truth will minister to those places of fear in our hearts and minds and root us in the very real and true reality of His goodness to us.