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Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
Today’s Encouragement
What things frighten you the most? For some people, their fears come from simple things like bugs or snakes. For others, events from their past cause them to fret as they worry about them happening again. No matter the cause, we all have something that frightens us.
For years, my biggest fear came from flying. Once, when I was a teenager, our flight dropped thousands of feet in an instant and thus began this fear. But, I loved to travel, so I kept flying but usually with white knuckles. My fears became worse when turbulence hit and one particular incident sent me in search of ways to put Joshua 1:9 into practice.
My Story of Fear
I walked out onto the sun-drenched tarmac and spotted a small prop plane for an airline called Flamingo Air ready for us to board. Turbulence on small planes can be so much worse. I gulped down the fear rising in my throat. “Please Lord, don’t make me go through with this flight.” I prayed. I wish I could tell you this flight was the best one ever. Turbulence caused drops, pitches and a sick feeling in my stomach. Panic gripped my heart, and I felt paralyzed by the fear. Something needed to change.
When I finally tired of feeling afraid, I tried something different. I prayed for an entire week before my next trip, asking God to change me and help me trust Him more when on a plane. Notice that I did not ask to take the turbulence away. I asked Him to change me. Slowly, I felt a transformation. With perseverance, I released my doubt to God. Now, I can fly without fear in the pit of my stomach. Praise the Lord!
Joshua 1:9 asks us to be strong and courageous when we face fear because God is always with us. I flew across Kenya on a mission trip, and even though God did not smooth out my ride, He remained with me during the trip. When you face fear, God is with you. Turn to Him and give Him your fears. As Christians, I think we sometimes expect never to experience any fears. Instead, I believe God will use our fears to draw us closer to Him.
Pray about our Fears
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for staying close to me, no matter my circumstances. Please give me strength when fears surround me. Let me feel your presence and comfort me as I bring my fears to you in prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Reflect on our Fears
What fears cause you to feel discouraged?
Do you need prayer? I would love to pray for you. Submit your prayer request on my website at https://yvonne-morgan.com/submit-your-prayer-request-here/
Grace and Peace to you,
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian #author, #blogger, and #speaker. #BibleGatewayPartner
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
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Thank you for sharing your story, Yvonne. We all fear certain things more than others. Sometimes we just avoid whatever it is that frightens us. But in your case, you couldn’t fulfill your desire to travel without working to overcome your fear of flying. Isn’t it wonderful that our Father sees what we really need, even when we pray for something else? Loved your message–such a day brightener to read about God’s mercy and grace.
Thank you Katherine. I think it is so important to realize that sometimes it’s us that need to change and not just our circumstances. And God’s grace and mercy allow that to happen. Blessings
Thanks for sharing this testimony. We do all face fears and no matter what kind attacks us the remedy is the same thing you did. Give our anxiety to God and depend upon Him. Spend time in His Word and lean on verses about overcoming fear. I’m glad you were able to continue on your trips!
Thank you Barbara. It’s a lesson I have to learn over and over again. Blessings
I can definitely relate! I have always been afraid of flying, but I force myself to do it anyway. Every time I fly, I pray and put my trust in the Lord. I know whatever happens, it’s His will, so I’m fine with the outcome. I never want my fear to get in the way of what God wants me to do. I guess that’s where the phrase “faith over fear” comes from, ha!
I agree that is probably where the phrase came from. We might do things we fear but we do them in faith. Thank you Jessica. Blessings
I sometimes struggle with fear when I have to drive on the interstate. Especially during busy times in big cities. Prayer and visualizing Jesus riding in the car with me helps. I’m much more relaxed when flying that I am when driving on the interstate!
God is so good to be with us in all our circumstances. His love can be so hard for us to truly understand and appreciate. Thanks Candyce. Blessings
I read 3 verses in Psalm 37 today about refraining from fretting. Thank you for this post which illustrates the power of prayer and trust in God to fight against fear. I tend to fear and fret when the to-do list seems to exceed the time I have. I’m learning to thank God for what I accomplish and the interruptions He plans or allows.
Love how God confirms things for us. I’m learning that His interruption can be disguised blessings. Thank you Jeannie
I’m thankful God understands and knows our fears. I am thankful to rest in His promises at all times.
It is always the safest place to be. Thanks Melissa. Blessings
An important message in our troubling times. And practical too. Thanks, Yvonne. God bless!
Thank you Nancy. God bless you too.
Loved this Ms. Yvonne. I think my greatest fear is failing God. Satan constantly bombards us some days with accusations of how we don’t measure up, how we don’t fit, and how we’re not perfect. I have to remind him, and myself, that God doesn’t expect perfect. He knows we can never be perfect in this life. He does expect, and deserve, our best effort. That’s where to often fear I’ve failed Him. Thank you for all your encouragement in this post ma’am. God’s blessings.
I can so relate my friend. I try not to fail God but I do and then the enemy starts showing me all of them. I have to work at it too. Blessings
Yvonne, this is so good for putting Joshua 1:9 into practice in our daily lives and with the things we fear most. I like how you didn’t ask God to take the turbulence away, that’s not a faith-over-fear prayer. I, too, get fearful when flying. I pray often during the flight especially during turbulence and bad weather. I’ve flown to Kenya from New York. But you are correct, it’s the smaller planes like I took from Kenya to Zimbabwe that prove to be the scariest in feeling insecure and out of control. Yet, we were never meant to be in control or feel secure in ourselves. It’s amazing how the Lord grows my trust in him during those situations.
It does sound like you had similar experiences in flying. It took me a long time to realize that we are not supposed to be in charge, it’s all about God. Thank you Karen. Blessings