I don’t need to tell you that we live in a very uncertain world. This reality is all around us, screaming at us from our TV sets or computer screens. If it’s not the pandemic, wars, or natural disasters, then it’s the galloping inflation or energy prices—one thing or another is bound to make us shake in our boots.
Life has always been unpredictable, of course, but the last few years have placed our anxiety level “on steroids,” resulting in it shooting off through the roof. And as global workers, we’re not immune. So how are we to cope?
In March or April 2020, when the pandemic was new, and we were all getting over the shock of being stuck at home, I felt my stress level go up exponentially. I realized my problem was too much time in the news and not enough time in the Word. So I consciously decided to switch my priorities around and limit my news intake.
One passage that I always turn to in times of trouble and uncertainty is Proverbs 3:4-5. I find these verses encouraging because, on the one hand, they tell me what my actions should be, and on the other hand, they share God’s promise of what He will do.
“Trust in the Lord,” Solomon writes. Fear is the natural emotion we feel when we are threatened or in danger. Trusting God—who is more powerful than anything that could come against us—is the best antidote to our fear. As we focus on who He is and His promises, everything else fades in comparison. The only way to defeat fear is by replacing it with trust.
If our hope and confidence are in God, then He promises to go ahead of us and make the way straight. No, it doesn’t mean a lack of problems and suffering, but it does mean that He will be by our side and will direct our path.
The God who helped us get through 2020 will also see us through whatever lies ahead. So, let’s trust Him.
What are some verses that help you defeat fear and build your trust in God?
Another passage that has helped me immensely whenever I feel my fear level rising is Psalm 46:1-2. The psalmist presents a situation that is out of control—with earthquakes shaking and mountains crumbling into the sea—yet he declares God to be his refuge and strength and is confident in the Lord’s help. That’s the attitude I want to have.