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SWAP FEAR FOR FEAR

"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God." Isaiah 41:10, NLT

“Do not be afraid” is mentioned at least 365 times in Scripture. It’s so like your loving Father to cover you every day! Isaiah is clear: because of God’s presence in your life, you do not have to be obsessed by fear. He continues by saying, don’t even be discouraged; instead, fill your heart with courage and hope in the Lord. His track record of loving faithfulness is perfect. He holds you with His victorious right hand.

Once you dismiss fear of everything else, you can replace it with a healthy fear of God. “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge”—despised by fools! Keep the fear of the Lord foundational in your faith, and you will enjoy the wisdom, discipline, and strength to follow hard after Him. When you replace fear of people or circumstances with fear of God, you are trusting the One who controls everyone and everything. Take a deep breath and focus on your heavenly Father, whose depth of love covers wherever chaos abounds. Look around you. A frantic world longs for a calm church who shows love and care. Swap fear for fear and you will experience God who is near—ever present in you and with you.

Dear Lord, I love and fear You, and I trust You to calm my heart with Your peace and my mind with Your truth. I release the fear I am clinging to and grab hold of and cling to Christ. Let Your calm prevail as I embrace by faith Your love and comfort that calms the storms and settles my soul.