There are days when everything feels up in the air. Your career, your relationships, your faith even. It can feel hopeless, as though you’re stuck in a swirling sea of uncertainty.
The wisest bits of wisdom often come from children, even if they are unaware of what they are truly saying. Last night, I asked a preschool child what she is most afraid of, and her answer resonated most with the adults in the room.
She replied, “I am afraid when there is something new because I don’t know what will happen.”
She hit on the exact mark of why we are so often afraid: Because we don’t know what’s out there.
Another kid added, “I don’t think we’re afraid of the dark itself; we’re afraid of what’s in the dark that could hurt us.”
We are afraid of what could be.
According to Medline Plus, anxiety is characterized by feelings of fear, dread, or uneasiness. That impending doom lurking before us when we forget that God has an even bigger plan for our lives and won’t leave us behind.
But even with God’s help, we know that pain is just a part of life. We will certainly experience it before our time comes. So how can we stay grounded when anxiety consumes our thoughts?
There are a few simple actions I have found helpful when experiencing fear for the future. I’ll call them the three G’s.
Gratitude
Writing down a list of ten things that you are thankful for each day can help remind you that while bad things do happen, so do wonderful things. It can remind you that God has taken care of you and will bring you through this new season too.
Another gratitude related activity that I love is writing down something that you are thankful for related to your senses. For example, this morning I wrote that I’m thankful to feel my dog’s fur, see the beautiful sunshine, and taste fresh baked bread.
Keeping in touch with your surroundings is key. When you feel overwhelmed in a chaotic atmosphere, it can be relieving to start listing out what is close to you and focusing on the little details.
Growth
Keeping a journal of where you are at through different stages of your life is an excellent way to remember how far you’ve come. After a year, or even a shorter time than that, it can be encouraging to reflect on how God has helped you grow. Often, God uses our fear and lack of control over the future to help us trust Him more and more throughout our lives. It’s incredibly beautiful to see.
Grace
Have grace for yourself when feelings of fear rise up within you. You are not a failure for feeling that way.
In the end, we shouldn’t beat ourselves up over our fears. Yes, God told us not to fear countless times in the Bible. But God also knows us and the situations He has planned for us. That means God knows that we will ultimately have moments of fear, and that doesn’t make Him love us any less.
Rather, God wants us to use those moments as opportunities to develop an even richer, deeper faith in Him.
They say you can’t be brave without having fear, because if you weren’t afraid of anything, then nothing is a risk for you.
The same goes for faith. If you don’t have any fear, then you have no reason to trust God.
Today, have grace for yourself, even when you feel yourself slipping. Instead of focusing on what you are disappointed about, remember that each day that you follow Jesus, you are becoming more and more like Him.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Romans 8:14-16
The Will to Wake Up 