Fear is a natural part of life. Yet when we place our trust in God, it brings a deep sense of security, dispels fear, and fills us with confidence. God is present, both in the storms of life and in moments of stillness, says District Apostle Michael Ehrich from Germany.
Fear is a part of life. It often serves as a vital protective mechanism, alerting us to danger and prompting us to respond either by confronting a threat or escaping it. However, when God says, “Do not be afraid!” He calls us to something greater: to place our trust in Him.
Trust in people, science, or technology can be deceptive. Trust in God, however, is fundamentally different. When we trust in Him, we rely on the Almighty who holds all things in His hands, whose love is boundless, and whose care and kindness we experience time and again as His children. We can confidently entrust everything to Him. This means that trust in God can alleviate fear.
Even those who believe and trust in God are not entirely free from fear in a threatening situation. Consider the disciples during the violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. Though the Lord was with them in the boat—although asleep—they were afraid. What mattered was that they turned to Him. He performed a miracle and calmed the storm (Matthew 8: 23–26). In the same way, when we turn to God in trust, we can be assured that He will not abandon us but will remain with us in the situation we face.
Whenever God expressly says, “Do not be afraid!” His words are accompanied by the assurance of His support and often a promise. A powerful example is God’s promise to the Israelites while they were living in exile in Babylon. Far from their homeland and in a time of distress, God promised them support, strength, and help through the prophet Isaiah: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41: 10). This promise was to be accepted in faith.
This message also speaks to us today. As God’s children, we are strangers in a foreign land and carry our heavenly home in our hearts. Until we reach it, we can rely on the promise of the risen Christ: “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28: 20). In Him we find safety and assurance. Furthermore, we are strengthened through the fellowship of our brothers and sisters.
In Isaiah’s time, God promised salvation to the Israelites—a deliverance that would surpass even the exodus from Egypt, marking the beginning of a new chapter in salvation history. We are the recipients of the unwavering promise of salvation given by Jesus Christ: “I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14: 3). Our own “exodus” from this foreign land will surpass all that has come before.
Photo: NAK Süddeutschland