OVERCOMING YOUR CHRONIC FEAR

The inability to trust God because of the fear and pain that plague our lives is more common than you might think.

A lot is going on in our world. Fear, anxiety, and anger are the backdrop to much of it.

From deadly diseases to political hostility and countries divided.

From financial stress and broken relationships to incessantly worrying over things that we have absolutely no control over.

The news reports focus on the ugliness of it all and inflame the situations causing a great divide in a world that should be coming together for good.

It is the epitome of chronic fear.

It leaves us anxious, exhausted and unable to enjoy the life we’ve been given.

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We weren’t created with fear in our hearts and yet my inbox overflows from readers who can’t break free of it. 

It consumes every aspect of your life, leaving you to feel nothing but anxiety, depression, and exhaustion.

What is bigger?

“If you want to defeat the fears that plague you, you have to grow in your understanding of God’s love for you.” Joni Earekson-Tada The Beyond Suffering Bible

To free yourself from chronic fear, let’s go back to the beginning before the earth and everything in it existed.

Keeping it basic, what did God do? 

He spoke and the world came into existence, right? (That’s a powerful act!)

In The Book of Mysteries, Jonathan Cahn asks “Which is greater, the Word or the world?” He then asks, “Which is more real and rock-solid?”

Your first thought might be that the world feels more real to you because it is something you can see, touch, and feel. 

That makes sense, right?

But let’s go a step further. What came first? 

In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. John 1:1 AMPC

So before God created anything, The Word was there.

Cahn states, “The Word came first; the world came second. The Word was spoken, and the world followed.” 

He then goes on to say,

“We must not be led by the world, but by the Word.” 

In other words, we must not be led by our circumstances, our fears, our worries, and the incessant need to control everything. 

All of the “things” in this life are ever-changing, but thankfully, The Word remains constant!

There is only one “thing” that is trustworthy in your life, that you can always rely on…The Word of God.

Cahn finishes his lesson by stating, “The Word is first…and only then the world.”

Pretty powerful right?

So if The Word is unchanging and the only thing you can rely on, then doesn’t it stand to reason that you need to be in it more?

Yet even when you read what God is promising, it doesn’t mean your heart automatically feels the same way.

Can I get an amen?

So the big question is, how can you release your fear and begin to feel and trust what’s in the Bible? (Read on!)

The  defense against chronic fear

Does this sound familiar?

You had a good night’s sleep and are ready to tackle the new day.

As soon as you drop the kids off at school, you turn on the news and hear about another mass shooting somewhere. It takes everything you have not to turn around, grab your child and go back to the safety of your locked home.

Or you wake up and turn on the news to find that the most recent deadly disease has continued to spread.

Maybe you are awaiting results from something that will alter the course of your life. 

Though you know there is nothing you can do to control the outcome, you play out every “what if” scenario in your head, each one getting worse by the minute.

So how do you free yourself from the fear when you are completely enveloped in it?

You begin your day with that which is unchanging…The Word.

This prepares you for the onslaught of what it will bring.

You already know there will be trouble in your life, but thankfully, God is much bigger than your circumstances and the challenges of this world. 

Because you know that He is victorious, it is easier to release your fears and trust Him to guide your way.

When I was working as a dental hygienist, there were many times when a political discussion came up. 

I typically stay away from politics, however, at one particular appointment, one of my patients was telling me how afraid she was for the fate of our country. I could see that this was not just a mild fear. She was panicked.

So I took my instruments out of her mouth, pulled my mask down, looked her straight in the eye and said, “You know that no matter who wins this election, God is still in control. It’s time you lay your fear at His feet and trust that whoever is elected, God will use them for good.”

Do you know what happened? 

I saw the light bulb go off in her head and her shoulders began to relax. I saw her fear melting away and a peace wash over her.

Do I think that her fears were gone forever? 

Unlikely!

But I do know that by remembering God’s truth, the next time she began to feel that all-to-familiar fear, she could stop and reframe her thoughts on that very promise from God. 

Arm yourself with scripture

That brings us to the next question.

If you begin your day with God, how do you get through the rest of it when that fear chips away at you?

You prepare yourself ahead of time.

Every morning, when you sit down with God, write down any verse that encourages you. Write them on an index card, piece of scratch paper or download our Free Blank Scripture Cards from the FOI Community Library.

Then when you feel your peace threatened in your day, pull out your cards and start reading. 

As we’ve already discussed, there will always be something unsettling in this world.

God never promised easy, but he does assure us that He has already conquered it. 

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NLT

For you to experience peace in this troubling world, it is crucial to have His promises in front of you at all times.

Don’t stop praying

Make your life a prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 TPT

Just as it is important to arm yourself with scripture every day, it is also essential that you do the same with your prayers.

When you feel your anxiety and fears come bubbling up and can’t find the words to pray, pull out your prewritten prayers and start reading. (You can download our Free Blank Prayer Cards from the FOI Community Library too! Simply subscribe below to gain access.)

Consider the areas in your life where you struggle most and then write a few prayers to equip you for those situations. 

When you just can’t

If you begin the day in The Word and arm yourself with scripture and prayers, what happens when the fear still gets in and you are left feeling paralyzed?

What should you do when you have no desire to pray? (Because let’s face it, that happens!)

You rest!

Yep, you read that right. 

You rest in knowing that the Spirit will intercede on your behalf.

25 But if we hope for what is still unseen by us, we wait for it with patience and composure. 26 So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. Romans 8:25-26 AMPC

We don’t need to have the right words. (Praise God for that!)

God gave us the gift of The Spirit to guide us, comfort us, and give us the rest we need.

So in those times, grant yourself some grace and just say, “Thank you, God.”

Knowing that takes the pressure off, right?

Wrapping Up

When chronic fear has taken over your life, arming yourself with The Word is the only way through it.

There will ALWAYS be trouble. You can not change that.

Thankfully, The Word reigns over every circumstance and every trial in this world.

As Jonathan Cahn writes,

 “Stand on The Word despite the world.” 

And that, my friend, is the only way to live!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. 

While you’re here, be sure to check out our 30-Day Trusting in God Scripture Challenge. They are an easy, yet powerful way to understand scripture while guiding you through the promises of God.

Until next time…

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