One of the strongest and most persistent fears that people experience is the fear that they won’t have what they need. We want to feel safe in every area of life. We want to be secure in our belief that we will have what we need when we need it. We may fear that we will lack adequate finances or companionship, or that we won’t have the necessary strength and ability to achieve the things we need to.
Your boss may require you to work long hours for his benefit so he can make more money without offering any benefit to you. His demands take you away from your family excessively and leave you tired and worn-out. If he is a controlling person, he is probably adept at using your fear of job loss to keep you obedient to his demands, but you need to have boundaries in your life for your own protection.
We can also be afraid that we will lack the answers we need when we must make an important decision.
No matter what the fear is, God’s Word says we are not to fear because He is with us. It is just that simple: “Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you”. He has everything we need and He loves us, so like any loving parent, He will provide for us. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He never sleeps. He is ever present, and He keeps watch over us with loving care.
Several years ago when I was studying abroad and living in a landlord’s family, a friend of mine went in for a routine checkup and learned days alter that her doctor feared she might have breast cancer. More tests were needed, and she was told that it might take two or three weeks before a confirmed diagnosis could be reached.
I asked my landlord how she got through those weeks of uncertainty and if she was afraid. “Yes, I was afraid,” she said. “But I also knew that whatever the outcome was, it would be no surprise to God.” Then she said something else that might be of help to you, whether you’re fearful about a diagnosis, a possible job loss, or just about anything else. She told me that she realized if she worried for three weeks and then learned that she had cancer, she would have wasted three valuable weeks of her life. And if she worried for three weeks and learned that she did not have landlord, she would have wasted three valuable weeks of her life. “Believe it or not,” she said, “I didn’t lose a minute’s sleep for those twenty-one days.”
When the tests finally came back, my friend learned that she did indeed have breast cancer. She had surgery and endured many months of chemo. I’m pleased to tell you that ten years later, she’s in terrific health. And she didn’t waste three valuable weeks.
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