God, I Feel ScaredSample

Storms and Dark and Under the Bed

Storms and dark and under the bed . . . we say those are the fears of childhood. But let’s be honest, those childhood fears often linger long into our adult days.

The storms may still be ones of lightning and thunder, or they may be storms of unwanted troubles and unexpected news. Darkness can be an absence of light or—much worse—an absence of hope. And as for those imagined creatures that lurk under the bed, they tend to turn into worrisome thoughts that plague us when we’re desperately seeking rest.

No matter our age, we can feel tossed and turned and at the mercy of storms of worry and fear. Much like those disciples out in the boat in that long ago storm. But just like those disciples, Jesus is with us in the storms. Unworried. Untroubled. And not in the least bit bothered by the buffeting of wind and rain.

And just like those disciples, we can run to Him in the storm and invite His light into the darkness. When we do, Jesus may choose to still the storm around us and deliver us completely from the thing that worried us and made us afraid. Or He may choose to still the storm within us and stay beside us in the boat as He guides us safely to the shore. Either way, we can know that Jesus will never leave alone in the storm.

For Little Ones:

We have all different kinds of weather, don’t we? Sometimes it’s warm and sunny. Sometimes it gets very cold, and it might even snow. And sometimes there are storms with rain and wind and thunder and lightning.

Do you know who made all the different kinds of weather? That’s right! God did! And because He made the sunshine, the snow, and the rain, God knows how to keep us safe in any kind of weather—even the thunder and the lightening!

In moments of worry or fear:

• Read the story of Jesus and the storm from Mark 4:35–41 or from a storybook Bible.
• Turn the couch or bed into a pretend boat. “Rock” the cushions as if your child is being tossed about by a storm. Now, have your child imagine Jesus is there with them—because He is! When they say, “Jesus!” stop the “storm.”
• Just as Jesus spoke to the storm, teach your child to speak to their fears by saying something like, “Jesus is right here with me, and He is bigger than [the thing your child is afraid of]!
• Thank Your little one for trusting you and God with their fears. Reassure them that you—and especially God—always want to help them with any fear they face.