Moving Beyond the Fear of Life’s Storms
By Grace Fox on September 1, 2011
By Grace Fox –
Sometimes our lives change in a nanosecond. One minute the sky’s blue and the weather’s balmy. But in an instant—without warning and to no fault of our own—black clouds roll in and dump on us. Gentle ripples become wild white capped waves. The little boats in which we sit rock and reel and threaten to capsize.
Life’s storms are scary. They leave a path of devastation in their wake, and we’re left facing a decision of paramount importance: How will we respond?
Some folks shake their fists at God and let bitterness invade their souls. Some retreat into silence and solitude. Others succumb to paralyzing fear. They can’t sleep, can’t eat, and can’t think rationally enough to take the next step because “what ifs” hold them captive.
And then we find those who fall on their knees before God and cry for help. They cling to Him and His promises like shipwrecked souls cling to life preservers in the midst of a midnight storm at sea.
My Personal Storm
Nearly 30 years ago, I experienced a life-altering storm. My husband and I had worked with a non-profit organization in Nepal for three years. We’d wanted to spend the rest of our lives there, investing in the poorest of the world’s poor. Our daughter’s birth on March 19, 1985, changed everything.
Stephanie was born with hydrocephalus—too much water on the brain. She needed a shunt, but the rural hospital where she was born was ill-equipped. We tried to buy tickets for the first available flight to North America, but the international airline called me a medical high risk. It refused to issue me a ticket after learning that I’d had a Caesarean delivery.
Three days later, my husband boarded the plane with our baby in his arms. I was forced to stay behind for another week. When I kissed by daughter goodbye, I had no guarantee that I’d see her alive again. Wind and waves battered my soul, and I cried to God for help. He rushed to my rescue through the lyrics of the well-known hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” reminding me that He would be trustworthy no matter the situation’s outcome.
So long as we’re warm and breathing, life’s storms will batter us. We don’t know when they’ll strike or what they’ll look like. But when they come, there will be no escaping their fury. They can either sink us, or they can be the wind that fills our sails and propels us forward along our journey. Which will it be?
Moving Beyond the Fear
Bruce Larson says, “…there is no way to live without fear. Nevertheless, it is possible to live beyond fear. Even those of us who have faith and who trust in God are going to find ourselves in scary situations. We need to learn to appropriate for our lives the reassurance of those words the Lord repeats so often in the Gospels, ‘Don’t be afraid. Fear not.’”
I agree with Bruce’s words. When life’s storms come my way, my initial response is often fear. My heart pounds and my thoughts bing-bang in every direction, concocting every possible negative outcome. That’s when I’m faced with a choice: Allow fright to consume and control me, or do as God says: “Fear not.”
The latter is best by far. Rather than struggling with anxiety, sleeplessness, and stomach ulcers, I enjoy peace that bad news can’t rattle. I’m able to obey God even though His ways make no sense to me. How is that possible when circumstances seem out of control? By focusing on the character of God and believing that His promises are true.
The promise of His presence is especially meaningful.
The disciples discovered this when a middle-of-the-night storm nearly capsized their boat. Suddenly they spied a spooky specter, or so they thought, approaching them through the spray and mist. Their fear cranked up another notch and they screamed in terror (Matthew 14:22-33).
At the moment they thought their doom was sealed, they heard Jesus’ voice: “It’s all right. I am here! Don’t be afraid.” His words offered a calming reassurance of His presence, like those whispered by a mother who rushes to her frightened toddler’s bedside at night: “Mommy’s here. Don’t be afraid.”
But Jesus’ words, “I am here,” implied much more than a simple assurance of His presence. They conveyed the powerful revelation that the God “I AM” was with them. This is the same God whose message Isaiah proclaimed:
But now, O Israel, the LORD who created you says: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” (Isaiah 43:1-5)
“I am here”—three simple words packed with promise and spoken to replace fear with courage. They reminded the disciples that they were not alone in the storm. The almighty God, the eternal One, creator and sustainer of life, protector, and Savior, was with them.
Imagine the scene! The wind continued to blow. The waves continued to splash and soak and slosh. But into the storm walked the great “I AM.” His disciples felt terrorized and traumatized, but almighty God met His loved ones at their point of need and calmed their fears.
I AM, the all-wise, all-powerful God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He still meets His followers in the midst of the storm.
If Bruce Larson is correct, we’ll never live without fear. Personal storms will strike when we least expect and fear will rear its head. But fear need not paralyze or consume us. Rather, we can move beyond its clutches as we appropriate for our lives the reassurance found in Jesus’ oft-spoken command, “Fear not.”
Adapted from: Moving from Fear to Freedom. Copyright © 2007 by Grace Fox. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR. Used by permission.
Grace Fox is an international speaker and the author of several books including Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman’s Guide to Peace in Every Situation (Harvest House). She recently partnered with Stonecroft Ministries to produce a teaching DVD and small group Bible study titled Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman-to-Woman Conversation. Available online, at Christian bookstores, and on her website (group discounts apply). Website: www.gracefox.com
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