Devotional

Fear doesn’t always make sense. Sometimes it strikes in moments of crisis, and other times it shows up quietly, building over time until it takes control of our minds and emotions. Anxiety can become so strong that it doesn’t just affect how we feel—it can change how we live.

I remember a season in my life when anxiety had gripped me so tightly, I didn’t even want to leave the house. It wasn’t rational—but it was real. Just the thought of stepping outside felt like too much. And yet, deep down, I knew this wasn’t how God wanted me to live. That season opened my eyes to just how powerful fear can be, and how crippling anxiety can become when we let it grow unchecked.

Fear and anxiety are not from God. Scripture is clear about that (2 Timothy 1:7). But that doesn’t mean we’ll never feel them—it means we don’t have to be ruled by them. Psalm 56:3 doesn’t pretend fear won’t come. It simply gives us the way forward: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

Fear might shout for our attention, but faith whispers for our focus. When fear rises, we must choose where to look. Will we keep playing out the “what ifs” in our heads—or will we turn our eyes to the One who holds both our todays and tomorrows?

There’s a shift that happens when we stop staring at the unknown and start focusing on the unchanging character of God.

• When we recall His faithfulness in the past, it strengthens our trust in the present.
• When we rest in His promises, it steadies our hearts for the future.
• When we declare His Word, it pushes back the lies that fear tries to speak.

Fear says, “You’re not safe.”
Faith says, “God is with you.”

Anxiety says, “What if everything falls apart?”
Faith says, “Even if it does, God still holds you together.”

In that difficult season I walked through, nothing changed overnight. But little by little, as I brought my fears to God—some days in tears, some days in silence—He began to shift something inside me. I stopped letting fear write the story and started letting trust take the lead.

You don’t have to have it all figured out to trust God—you just need to take one step at a time in His direction. When fear or anxiety rises today, don’t ignore it—but don’t feed it either. Pause. Breathe. Bring it to the Lord.

Remind yourself: “God is not the author of fear. He gives me power. He gives me love. He gives me a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

You are not alone in your fear. And you are not powerless in your anxiety. God is with you, and He is for you.