Weekly Devotional: Letting Go of Fear

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” — Matthew 6:33–34, NIV

We all have fears that invade our thoughts. Some people may be afraid of rollercoasters, sharks, clowns, spiders or the dark. However, there are also fears that seem to follow us around on a daily basis. Whether they be fears of the future, financial trouble, health concerns, failure or pain, we can find it difficult to practice letting go of these fears.

However, with Christ, we do not have to let feelings of fear control our lives. When we realize the value of letting go of our fears and giving them to Christ, we can find genuine peace.

Faith Over Fear

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” — Romans 15:13, NIV

On our own, we can find it difficult not to let anxious thoughts occupy our minds and ideas. However, when we rely not on our own strength but on God’s power, we can find that our anxieties and stresses do not overtake us.

In the Bible, and the Psalms especially, we can find many references to having faith over fear and trusting in God in difficult times. Psalm 27:1 says, “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?” We can put our faith in God, our stronghold, when we are afraid, and He can help us let go of our fears. He has a plan for our lives and did not create us to be fearful (2 Timothy 1:7).

When we have God on our side, we need not be afraid. With Christ in our lives, we know that there is hope for the future. Luke 25:25 says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” Fear does nothing for us, while trust and hope enrich our lives.

I Will Not Be Afraid

“The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” — Psalm 118:6, NIV

The author of Psalm 118 says, “I will not be afraid.” Sometimes we have to tell ourselves the same thing. We know that God is in control and that He is trustworthy. In the words of the famous hymn and children’s song, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.”

So, why are we still afraid? Sometimes we struggle to give up our sense of control or place our trust in something outside of ourselves. Here are some passages to encourage you the next time you are struggling to let go of fear and trust in God’s plan:

• Matthew 10
• Luke 12:22-34
• Philippians 4:4–9
• Psalm 23
• Deuteronomy 31:1–8

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