I came across a quote online that struck me. It said, “Fear does not stop death. It stops life. And worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles. It takes away today’s peace.” Wow! There is so much truth in this statement.

It’s so sad how much fear there is in this world and how it dictates people’s lives. Just take a scroll down your Facebook page and you can see it’s grip now more than ever before. Whether it be the fear of the future, death, sickness, loss of finances or friendships… it seems daily decisions are being made based more on fear than faith in these times of uncertainty.

A dangerous byproduct of fear is worry. Worry does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it. It robs us of sleep and steals our peace. There are absolutely no benefits of worrying about a situation or circumstance you are in. It doesn’t solve problems, it magnifies them.

Do you know what the most frequent command is in the Bible? It’s “Do not be afraid.” That specific phrase appears in the NIV about 70 times. This doesn’t include variants such as “fear not,” or “do not fear,” either. Keep in mind that when God says, “do not be afraid,” it is a command and not a suggestion. He doesn’t say, “It’s okay if you want to be scared about this or that. The choice is completely up to you.” No, it’s a command. He is giving an instruction on how to approach our situation and circumstance (or rather how not to).

Let’s be real… life is scary! Crazy things keep popping up each day trying to get us to respond and react in fear. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that He reminds us over and over (and over!) again in His Word to not be afraid.

So what do you do with all those thoughts of worry swirling around in your head? You give them to God. You replace those fearful thoughts with His words of truth. Here are a few of my favorite ones to meditate on when fear tries to grip it’s talons in my heart and mind:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”  ~ Psalm 56:3

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6-7

“Peace is what I leave with you; it is My own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” ~ John 14:27

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

“When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul.” ~ Psalm 94:19

“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” ~ Proverbs 12:25

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9

“Tell everyone who is discouraged, be strong and don’t be afraid! God is coming to your rescue…” ~ Isaiah 35:4

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” ~ Psalm 27:1

“Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

“’For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.  Do not be afraid, for I Myself will help you,’ declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” ~ Isaiah 41:13-14

When you cast those worries and cares on Him, you are telling Him that you trust Him. And in exchange, He will fill you with His amazing, awesome peace! The kind of peace that makes absolutely no sense in the turmoil that you are facing and yet you can sleep well and rest comfortably.

Written by Beth Pletcher and Jamie Eggers