Fear.

It’s this constant foreboding, this dread that wraps around your throat and digs into your soul and rejects even the notion of releasing you. There is always something to be afraid of. You tell yourself that you're safe in the Lord; you know that He will take care of you. You know God is with you, you know that He loves you, you know that He’s got you, and yet the fear is there too and it ROARS.

It roars.

Your throat is raw and burning with belting out every worship song; you've quoted every verse you know, over and over and over again: Do not fear; I am with you. Be strong and courageous; I go before you. Yet your heart still quakes with terror. You know that it’s going to turn out all right, and you know this because you know He is with you.

But fear cares about none of that.

Fear still haunts you. Dread still seizes you. Terror still whispers and shouts, hisses and cries out: you are not safe. You will never be safe. One day He will stop saving you, one day He's going to leave you and all that you fear will come crashing down and bury you. There goes your dreams. There goes your hopes. There goes your life, ruined, shambles, nothing. You will never achieve dreams. You will never reach your goals. You will never see your victory.

Fear. It shouts all these things all the time. You cover your ears and you scream to drown it out. But when the distraction finally ends, the fear remains.

But here is the thing about fear: fear is very loud. Fear is very constant. But fear is not very strong.

Fear has no power. Fear cannot force an outcome. Fear only features to waste your time. To keep you so cross-eyed over a could-be future that you cannot see the wonder in front of you or the way out of the danger that frightens you.

Do you know what you need to do next? Then do it. Move forward. Take that shaky step in the right direction and trust that the Lord will hold you even if the ground breaks under you. Believe.

Do you fear what is next? Face that truth that terrifies you. Recognize what you can and cannot do, what you can and cannot control, then do whatever is in your court. Offer the rest with shaky, weary hands, and trust that He can resolve it and redeem you.

Do you not know what your next step should be? Turn to Him. Ask for wisdom. James 1 promises that the way will be revealed if you believe. Trust that His timing is perfect and that when the time is right, your next right thing will be revealed to you.

Above all, above all, above all. Keep saying the verses. Keep praying the prayers. Keep singing the songs. Keep believing when it hurts. Keep coming back to your God and trusting that even when it looks like He’s not done a thing in your favor, EVERYTHING in the background is working out for your good and His glory. Choose to believe that His timing is saving you even when it aches.

Your reward is coming, weary soul. Even if it’s not till Heaven, your reward is coming. Grab onto that! Believe in that, my dear, darling, courageous heart! Believe! Believe! He is here and He loves you, always, He is taking care of you. Think back on every time He has rescued you! Yes, it’s scary that you can’t see the future. Yes, it’s scary that it’s not in your hands. Yes, it’s unfair and it’s not your fault and you couldn’t have known and you’re waiting on other humans as fallible as you.

Yes, yes, yes. All of that is valid. All of that is true. All of that you feel, and all of that He knows.

But do you know what else He knows, love? He knows your future. Every moment of it, every second, every breath He knows. He knows how He’s going to put it perfectly together. He knows how He’s going to save you. He knows. And He is working it all together for your good.

I know you can’t see what lies ahead. It’s a dark chasm into each next day, and there could be such light at the end! But there could also be such darkness, such difficulty, such pain, such fear. And when you’ve been through so much already, it seems downright unjust that something else could come upon you.

Why isn’t it easy yet, Lord? Why isn’t it easy yet, Lord?

Because you are still in this world yet. And because His plan has not been fulfilled yet. And because a million other reasons that I don’t know and I won’t pretend to know. But I do know that He has seen it all, that He is walking you through it all, and that when you don’t have the strength, He will give it. When you can’t see the way, He will help you feel ahead your next step. When you don’t know what to do, when you can’t possibly win, have peace, love, for that God, the God Who is King of Kings; Lord of Hosts; the God of Angel Armies; Jehovah Jireh, our Provider; Jehovah Nissi, our banner; Jehovah Rophe, our healer; Abba, God our Father; and Jehovah Shalom, our peace and wholeness. That God. He is making the way for you. You don’t know and that’s scary as hell. But who defeated hell? Who has already won?

Courage, dear heart. There's no need to be afraid.