I remember as a child being afraid of many things: spiders, heights, talking to strangers, nightmares, and even pulling sweaters over my head! One way I was able to cope with nightmares was to imagine my nose as a “radio knob” and turn it slightly to “Change the Channel”!

While I’ve gotten over being afraid of many of these things, new and different fears emerged as I got older. Some of these were:

• Fear of chronic illness
• Financial instability
• Losing a loved one

I’ve discovered that I can’t “Change the Channel” to alleviate my fears but I can turn to the One who has promised not to forsake us.

Google tells us that “Fear” appears over 500 times in the Bible. And many Biblical figures faced and overcame their fears to fulfill their God-given roles. Moses, Jonah and Gideon all were afraid. However, they were able to understand that they were tasked with a mission and were provided the tools they needed to get the job done. Peter’s fear in the New Testament caused him to deny Jesus. But instead of allowing this failure to define him, he was able to overcome it and it provided a catalyst for spiritual growth.

My goal these days is to go to the Lord in prayer whenever I feel afraid. Just speaking to Him about my fears, lowers the anxiety and helps me to think through things rationally and trust that He will get me through whatever trial I face.

Dear Lord, our lives are often riddled with fearful things. Help us to understand that you are always with us and will always love us. Keep us safe and calm within your presence. Your will be done. Amen.

This devotion was written by Virginia Hardwick and read by Amy Large.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.