Isaiah 41:10
‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.‘
All throughout the Scriptures, God encourages us not to be afraid or anxious because as His children, we have no basis for fear. Of course, there are reasons for us to be very, very cautious about what we do and where we go, but God’s people are not to live in a state of anxiety.
If you think about it, you can identify at least six fears that are basic to all mankind. They are fear of criticism, illness, old age, death, poverty, and losing a loved one. Although these are universal worries, they are in reality symptoms of something deep inside that feeds our fears.
Some of the root causes are:
A basic sense of inadequacy.
Because of distorted thinking, we frequently feel incompetent to tackle some challenges or incapable of accomplishing certain tasks.
The tendency to set unrealistic standards for ourselves. We can go through life trying to measure up to lofty expectations that are self-imposed rather than ones set by God.
An innate sense of unworthiness. It’s amazing how many people will not succeed in life because they just don’t feel they deserve it.
In the midst of our fears and anxieties, we need to remember God’s promise.
He reassures us, “Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). It is important that we look up at Him and not around at our circumstances.
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