by Sally Ivaska

Several years ago my husband Dave experienced a panic that immobilized him and sent him scouring the Bible for teaching on fear. He relates his experience in the introduction to Be Not Afraid:

I still remember the cold, cloudy day in February when I discovered the breadth of this theme in the Bible. I was feeling overwhelmed with many unfinished tasks and perplexing situations. A sense of panic gripped me and I found myself blurting out a cry to God for help.

To my surprise, God quietly reminded me of Isaiah 43:1-2

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
   I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze.

Encouraged by this passage and the sense of God’s whisper, “And the Bible is full of other ‘Be not afraid’ passages,” Dave immersed himself in Scripture, finding great comfort and strength as he saw how God understands and wants to liberate us from our fears. Out of his personal study and identification of dozens of relevant passages, came the series of daily devotions, Be Not Afraid, published by InterVarsity Press.

Though I have never considered myself a fearful person—rollercoaster rides and rappelling are two of my favorite activities—as I used Dave’s devotional material I discovered there are many kinds of fear and I am prey to several of them. In this stage of life, as a mother of adult children, I find myself experiencing high levels of anxiety for their futures—anxiety that I never felt while they were growing up in Kenya and the U.S. God has shown me that beneath my anxiety lurks the fear of failure and loss of control. No longer do I have direct influence over my children as I did when they were young. And I am far more aware of ways that I have failed as a mother.

Where do you find yourself fearful or anxious? So many areas of our lives can be sources of fear—studies and exams, the job market, the job itself, relationships, health, commitments outside of work or school. Over the following weeks, I would like to share with you six of the Be Not Afraid devotions that I have found particularly helpful. You can use the studies as posted here or, if you prefer a print copy, we have made a pdf available at the end of this article. Set aside a special place and time to reflect on the Bible passage and accompanying questions and allow God’s Spirit to teach and encourage you. Consider sharing these with friends and acquaintances who may be facing fearful situations. Take to heart these discoveries of God’s promises. May you find yourself moving from fear to faith.

Streams in the Desert

The desert and the parched land will be glad;
   the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom,
   it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy….

Strengthen the feeble hands,
   steady the knees that give way;
Say to those with fearful hearts,
   “Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come”…

Gladness and joy will overtake them
   and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
(Isaiah 35:1, 3-4, 10; see also Isaiah 35:1-10)

How do you picture fear? Is it like a wilderness or desert? Is it knees knocking, hands and head drooping, and heart quivering? Is it being lost on some deserted highway? This is how Isaiah sees Israel’s fear on the eve of their exile. But he also sees hope for Israel with equally powerful images—images that speak comfort to those with fearful hearts. Let’s look and consider.

How do the images in the first verses here convey hope on the eve of disaster?

Why would telling someone who is afraid, “God will come to you,” dispel fear more deeply than telling them, “Your troubles will go away”?

What is meant in 35:10: “Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away?

When have you been aware of God’s presence bringing beauty and life and strength to a dry and discouraging situation?

Almighty God, as you brought the Lord Jesus back to life from the dead, bring life and joy and gladness to my dry and dusty soul.

Other formats: Download this file in PDF format