The other night I was lying awake, tempted to be afraid about some upcoming and potentially overwhelming events, but the Holy Spirit reminded me, “Do not fear, for I am with you.” In the morning when Brad and I talked about this, neither of us could recall the verse reference. Then we realized it was Isaiah 41:10, an old favorite for both of us; one we hadn’t thought about in a while.
“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 (NIV)
What I like about this is that my fear is calmed, and my courage is lifted up, because God has promised he is with his people. When I am afraid, he is there. When I feel alone, he is with me. When I am weak, he is my strength. Hebrews 13:6 says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” God is not an irresponsible parent who abandons his children. What security we have with God through his Son! The Lord is always with me, even in the worst of times. I never need to worry about being alone.
Then to add to that, a few mornings ago I was reading in Psalm 28 and was impressed by this:
“The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed. Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.” – Psalm 28:8-9 (ESV)
The Lord is my strength. He is my refuge; my hiding place. He is my shepherd who tenderly carries me all the days of my life. When we are alone and afraid and overwhelmed, we can trust in his tender, loving care.
(btw, Brad and I both loved this last verse so much that we printed it out and taped it on the bathroom wall….by the toilet…where we see it multiple times a day. ☺ Maybe you should do the same.)