I would like to encourage about resorting to prayer as an alternative to fear.
Take it to the Lord in prayer, borrowing that line from the great hymn What a friend we have in Jesus! The hymn reminds us that Jesus is our friend and that we have the privilege to carry everything to him in prayer. ‘What peace we often forfeit, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to him in prayer! ‘
When we do not pray, when we forget what prayer can do for us when we get switched off the prayer mode, the fear mode automatically switches on. Fear grips and paralyzes us. We see no way out. Consequently, depression creeps in and everything stops.
One day the disciples encountered a notorious and violent storm on the Lake of Galilee, with shattering and terrifying suddenness nearly sinking the boat. The disciples started yelling and shouting. They were all over the place trying to forget everything and run. Interestingly Jesus rebuked the storm, “Be silent! Be muzzled!” And the wind sank to rest. There was a great calm.
Someone correctly said fear as an acronym means false evidence appearing real. Somebody else said it means when fear comes, you either, “Forget everything and run,” or you “face everything and rise.” I think most times we “forget everything and run.” We forget what a friend we have in Jesus. Consequently, we forfeit our peace, and bear needless pain, but if we remember what a friend we have in Jesus, we face everything and rise. We carry whatever burdens and tribulations and we take everything to him in prayer.
When we do not carry everything to God in prayer, false evidence appears real.
