"MOM, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

A few weeks ago, while my five-year-old was in the bath, I decided to tackle the carpets. I made my way downstairs to muscle the inevitable. When I turned off the vacuum and was putting it away I was met with the cries and screams of a little boy who was scared. Quickly making my way into the bathroom I asked him, "What is the matter son?" Between sobs, his reply was, "I didn't know where you were mom? I kept calling for you but you never answered me? I thought you were gone." I asked him, "Son, do you know who I am? Do you know me?" "Yes" he said, "You are my mom." "Okay, do you trust who I am?" He answered, "Yes". "Have I ever left you home alone?" "No", he responded. Holding up his face in my hands I told him, "Okay sweetheart, you need to trust in who I am even when you cannot see me." "Okay mommy."

Walking out of the bathroom I immediately felt the Spirit nudging my soul and asking me the same questions I had just asked my son. "Do you know who I am Hester?" "Do you trust in who I am Hester, even when you cannot see me?" Wanting to answer "yes" to the Lord, I knew there were situations in my life I was worried about. Circumstances out of my control I was fearful over.

Being humbled by the Lord is a very moving experience. I was convicted in this moment to pray through my fears. I was determined not to be afraid, but rather trust in who God is.

The alternative to trusting in God is to trust in ourselves. Human. Weak. Feeble. We are sure to fail when we trust in ourselves. We will find ourselves at the end of our rope when we try to be self-sufficient.

To walk in fear is to walk without faith. Hebrews 11:6 tells us it is impossible to please God without faith. Living in fear causes us to seek control over everything around us. However, understanding our inability to control various circumstances can bring a sense of freedom. Functioning in faith frees us from fear because it causes us to relinquish control to the One who truly has it.

Our verse in Isaiah 41:10 tells us, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." What a powerful verse! Bringing comfort and assurance to our hearts, God tells us not to fear because He is with us and because He is our God. Then, he continues to reassure us by telling us He will strengthen and help us. He will even uphold us with His righteous right hand.

Fear has a way of crippling us as believers. Crippling fear causes us to doubt and question who God is. Trusting in who God is, is a key component to our faith. We must trust in who He is even when we may not understand why something is happening. We must trust in His sovereignty even when we question a circumstance. We must trust in His answer even when we think we may have a better solution.

Let our hearts not be troubled. May we trust in the Lord's ability to carry us through our circumstances. May our fear be replaced with bold faith. May we trust in who God is, even when we cannot see Him.


Heart Work:
What situation am I facing that I need to surrender to God? Do I need to relinquish control of a circumstance that scares me? Ask the Lord to increase your faith.

Heart Examination:
Do I know who God is? Do I trust in who He is? Am I in control or is God in control? How do my actions reveal whether or not I trust in God even when I cannot see Him?

Life Changing Word:
2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Psalm 46:1-2 - "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."

Isaiah 41:13 - "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you."

Isaiah 35:4 - "Say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong and do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.' "

Psalm 23:4 - "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for your are with me."





Copyright 2010 by Hester Christensen. All rights reserved.