"So 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 (NIV)
One of the most common questions I get as a full-time author is "How do you do it?" The second most common is a misconception: "Wow, you must be making bank to be a writer for a living!" The reality for both is that I'm a writer because God called me to be.
Writing books alone does not produce enough money to live off of, but even if it did, I'm not in it for the money. I'm a writer because my calling is to help hurting people feel heard and seen. I'm a writer because something within my bones craves words like candy and a pen and pencil like the newest popular trend. This calling, however, has not come without a little bit of fear, and a whole lot of faith.
In Isaiah 41:10, Isaiah offers hope and reassurance to God's people. He reminds us that no matter what challenges, setbacks, fears, or defeats we may experience, our God is greater and will see us through. If anyone knew that well, it would be the Israelites who disobeyed God time and time again. Despite their prostitution, rebellion, ignorance, pride, and selfishness, Isaiah offered identity and hope. Even while they were thick in sin, Israel was still chosen by God, and Isaiah reminded them that He would not forsake them.
One of my favorite Scriptures to couple with this verse is Philippians 1:6 (NIV): "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
As humans, we're going to mess up, sin, and fall short of the glory of God. Even once we're saved, our sinful human nature will pop up on more occasions than we can count. Being fearful isn't a sin, but it certainly reminds us of our need for someone beyond ourselves.
While I wish I could tell you that trusting in Jesus will make things like anxiety and fear completely dissipate from this Earth, I can't. Being a Christian and loving Jesus doesn't take away my humanness or my ability to feel emotions. But, believing in Jesus reassures me that even when I walk through deep waters, troubled circumstances, or anxious spaces, He is with me, sees me, loves me, and helps me through. Sometimes He holds my hand, and other times He carries me. Nevertheless, He's always with me and never leaves my side.
Isaiah 43:2 (NLT) says it this way: "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." Isaish 46:4 (ESV) offers additional reaffirmation: "Even to your old age, I am He, and to gray hairs, I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save."
My encouragement to you today is that while we may face fearful or anxious times, our God is with us, within us, and all around us. He sees us, loves us, and walks with us through the flames. And what does He require of us? A pursuit of faith, even amid fear. Because over time, though the fear still exists, it won't be as noticeable.
Faith isn't the absence of fear. As Matt Chandler notes, "It means facing fear and trusting that God's goodness is greater." More times than not, faith and fear coexist. Fear whispers defeat in our ears, but faith reminds us of confidence, truth, and the push to keep going.
The fearless pursuit of faith doesn't mean that we will never fear. It means that despite those stressors and agitations, we will cling to the One who is greater than ourselves. We will cling to the One who is greater than our greatest fears.
"Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of Him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." Hebrews 2:14 (NIV)
Dear Jesus, choosing faith amid fear is a difficult task. Please help us to exchange our terrors for the truth and promise of your Word. Even when we're fearful, help us cling to the promises of You and Your Word. You promise to be with us amid these scary places, and your presence will never leave us. Thank you for being with us, within us, all around us, and reminding us that faith is not the absence of fear but choosing to trust you despite them.
Agape, Amber
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Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington, Andrea Bocelli, Reba McEntire, Mark Wahlberg, Tony Dungy, and Matthew McConaughey—what do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their stories of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
