God, I Feel ScaredSample

Come to Me

What are you afraid of? What worries you through the day and keeps your mind spinning at night? There are the little everyday fears of things like spiders and snakes and storms. Then there are the bigger fears about jobs and bills and traffic. And then there are the heart-stopping ones, aren’t there? Of loss, of unwanted diagnosis, of completely messing up this whole parenting thing.

These worries and fears can weigh heavy, pulling us down and stealing our energy, our time, our joy. One of the most wonderful things about Jesus is that He not only understands this, but He came to offer us a way out from under these heavy burdens of worry and fear. “Come to me,” He says. Let Me carry those heavy burdens for you, while you rest here in My presence (author’s paraphrase).

How do we come to Jesus? In prayer. Kneeling or standing or driving down the road, we list out and lay down all our worries and fears at His feet. Whether we say them out loud, whisper them in our hearts, and write them out on paper, we’re reminded that there’s nothing so big that He can’t handle it and nothing so small that it escapes His notice and care. Then, as we decide and declare that we will trust Him to make a way for us through our fears, the most wonderful things begin to happen: our burden is lightened, our hearts find peace, and our minds find rest. In Him. The One who begins answering before we say, “Amen” (Isaiah 65:24).

For Little Ones:

God gave us all kinds of different feelings. Some are wonderful, like happy and excited and surprised. Others aren’t so fun to feel, like scared and worried. Those kinds of emotions can feel heavy, like we’re carrying a backpack full of rocks.

Jesus wants to carry those “rocks” for us and make our backpack lighter. But first, we have to turn over those rocks to Him. How? With a prayer.

Prayer is simply talking to Jesus. You don’t need big, fancy words. Just talk to Him like a friend. You can talk to Him in the morning, at playtime, or when you’re lying in your bed. You can even talk to Him when you’re standing on your head. Tell Him about all those things that worry and frighten you. And pretty soon, they won’t feel so heavy anymore.

In moments of worry or fear:

• If something is worrying or frightening your child, encourage them to draw a picture of it. Then, using the picture, lead them in talking to God about it.
• Next, have your child to draw a picture of a place or an object that makes them feel safe or comfortable. Encourage them to visit this place in their imagination when scary thoughts creep into their heads.
• Help your child learn to talk to God by practicing little prayers at different times of day, such as before they set off for school or go to play with a friend.
• Teach your child this truth: God listens to me when I pray.

*As always, if fears linger or worsen over time, reach out to a doctor, school counselor, or mental health professional for additional guidance.