Overcoming fear by remembering God's faithfulness
Fear has a way of making us forget. There’s an acrostic for FEAR that says:
F — Forget
E — Everything
A — And
R — Run
And sometimes, that’s exactly what fear does. Fear makes us forget everything God has already done and run from the very place where He is asking us to trust Him. When the Israelites stood at the edge of the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army closing in behind them, fear took over. Suddenly, they forgot the plagues. They forgot the miracles. They forgot the Passover. They forgot how God had delivered them from Egypt. All they could see was what was in front of them.“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.” — Exodus 14:13
Fear has a short memory. It looks at the problem in front of us and forgets the faithfulness behind us. We do the same thing. The unexpected bill comes. The doctor’s report changes. The relationship begins falling apart. The door we thought God would open suddenly closes. The future becomes uncertain. And fear whispers, “Run.” Run from the situation. Run from obedience. Run from trusting God. Run back to what feels comfortable. But faith says something different. Instead of Forget Everything And Run, maybe we need to remember:
Remember everything God has already done — and stand. Remember the prayers He answered. Remember the doors He opened. Remember the times He provided when you didn’t know how provision would come. Remember the valleys He carried you through. Remember the moments when you thought there was no way forward…and somehow God made a way. David understood this when he stood before Goliath. Everyone else saw a giant and became afraid. David remembered the lion. He remembered the bear. Most importantly, he remembered the God who had delivered him before.
Past faithfulness became fuel for present faith. That’s why remembering is such an important spiritual discipline. When fear tells you, “What if God doesn’t come through?” Your testimony answers, “Look at all the times He already has.” Fear says, “Run.” Faith says, “Stand.” Fear says, “God has forgotten you.” Faith says, “He has never left me.” Fear says, “There’s no way through this.” Faith says, “I may not see the way, but I know the One who makes a way.”
Maybe you’re standing in front of something today that scares you. Don’t let fear erase your memory. Look back before you panic about what’s ahead. The same God who carried you then is with you now. Fear says: Forget Everything And Run.Faith says: Remember Everything And Trust. You don’t have to know what God is going to do next to trust the God who has been faithful every step of the way.
Prayer: Lord, when fear begins to overwhelm me, help me remember. Remind me of Your faithfulness, Your provision, Your protection, and Your promises. Give me the courage to stand when I want to run and to trust You when I cannot see what comes next. You have been faithful before, and I believe You will be faithful again. Amen.