Not Afraid: How to Overcome FearSample

What’s Your Next Step?

Reflect/Discuss

• How does fear affect your life? What habits or patterns does it cause?
• What’s the first thing you usually do when you experience fear?

Consider

Like many emotions, fear can produce an unhealthy automatic response. Maybe it’s to be angry and blame something or someone. Perhaps you feed the fear by taking in more negative information. Some people will try to do everything they can to control the situation. Or for many of us, fear can be paralyzing.

In this Psalm, our response to fear doesn’t necessarily require an action, but a perspective shift. The Psalmist says, “I sought the Lord.” When we’re afraid, we simply need to turn toward God and put our focus on Him. God then does the work of answering us and delivering us from our fears. When we are consumed by our fears, we simply need to shift our eyes away from the thing that makes us afraid and be consumed by God. His strength and hope will melt away our fears.

Act

• Carry a reminder with you of one of the Bible verses in this study. It could be your phone lock screen, written on a piece of paper, or a tag on your keychain or jewelry. When you are afraid, look to that reminder and practice instantly turning your focus to God.