Unfriendly Reminder: Conquering Temptations to Fear

I hear of a friend’s parent diagnosed with cancer.

A reminder.

I learn that a woman was attacked in a similar place to where I’m headed.

A reminder.

My dog, diagnosed with terminal cancer, lets out a painful-sounding cough.

A reminder.

Someone I care about makes another wrong choice that could lead to disaster.

A reminder.

We’re all surrounded by such reminders every day. They tell us something frightening is or may be in our future. They prompt worry, spur anxiety, shape our decisions and haunt our days and nights.

They’re reminders to fear.

None of us are exempt from experiencing the evil—the pain and problems—in this world. And the prince of darkness, the one who wields that evil, loves to make the most of it by binding us in fear of what he’s going to do before he acts.

In my fight against fear, I’m thrilled to notice improvements. I’ve won battles, and those victories are re-shaping my life into one of freedom from some of the worry and other forms of fear that used to plague me more.

But the enemy is prowling outside the door to my heart (1 Peter 5:8), and every so often, he lets out a roar.

The roar can take the form of that nasty cough my dog lets out, a reminder that his disease is progressing despite appearances to the contrary. I often feel at peace with resting in God’s plan until I hear that cough. It’s a reminder that I have something to fear.

Sometimes the reminder is a meeting or task I’m worried about that goes just as badly or worse than I’d expected. This is a reminder to fear that goes a step further, turning into confirmation of the worry that sometimes what we fear does happen.

When these reminders to fear start flying at us, we can stand on this battlefield, vulnerable to the blindsided attacks and watch our victories turn into carnage and retreat.

Or, we can turn our eyes from the enemy’s arrows and instead fix our attention on the counterattack our Protector has launched.

For every reminder to fear that the evil one aims our way, our Savior has already sent a reminder of His own. A reminder to trust.

The bird you see outside your window is a reminder of how much He loves you and takes care of you.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. – Luke 12:6-7

The violent storm that sweeps in and destroys is a reminder of His awesome power and control over even the wildest, most dangerous things. It’s a reminder that Jesus slept in such weather and then rebuked the wind and the waves of the stormy sea into submission. It’s a reminder that He asked the disciples, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26).

Are you breathing right now? Is your heart still beating? Those, too, are reminders. God is sustaining you moment to moment physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Everywhere you look, every move you make today and always, reminders surround you.

…he upholds the universe by the word of his power. – Hebrews 1:3a

Look to your past, and you’ll see countless reminders there, as well.

That time you thought you could never survive the pain of loss and grief—He brought you through.

The circumstances that were so awful you couldn’t believe any good would ever come of them—He still redeemed them and used them for something wondrous.

Those dark moments when you cried out with deep, desperate prayer—He heard you.

That time you came to Him, repented of your sins because you knew you couldn’t save yourself, and asked Him for the forgiveness and redemption you finally realized you needed—He saved you.

For each reminder to fear that invades our lives, there are hundreds more reminders to trust. We need to ask God to teach us to see those reminders every time the evil one aims arrows of fear at our hearts.

May we instead hold up our Shield of Faith and turn our gaze to the reminders of our awesome, gracious God and the victory that is ours in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Do reminders to fear try to steal your peace and tempt you to fear? What reminders to trust can you see in your life? Please share!