The Bible is filled with promises that God is with us. Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” While we know that scripture is filled with incredible promises that God is near us and will provide for us, what often gets in the way of us trusting His promises is our own internal battles. While God calls us every single day to not be afraid, to simply trust Him in everything can be difficult. We are in a constant battle with our fear and emotions. The truth is, when we worry a lot, we lose sight of the presence of God. We can find hope when we can begin to trust in His promises again. Here are six little reminders that God is with you.
God is the stronghold of your life.
It’s hard to recognize that God is always around because we can’t physically see Him, but trusting that He is near is one of God’s greatest promises. Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” Like many psalms, this was written from a season of trouble. Yet, it is a song of confidence and triumph because David was not in darkness or ultimate peril because the Lord was his light and salvation. God Himself brought light to David’s life. He did not despair in darkness and all that it represented. His life was filled with the Lord, and his life was filled with the light. The same can be applied to our lives. When you’re worried, remember that the Lord is the stronghold of your life. Only when we you recognize this can you truly be filled with light.
God is with you wherever you go.
God is always with us, even when we can’t see Him or hear His voice directly. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” There are three times in Joshua 1 that God tells Joshua to be strong and to be courageous because he’ll need to be ready for what’s coming later. God also commands that he not be frightened or dismayed and for one reason only; “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” If you are going into a particularly unsettling situation, have comfort in the fact that God is with you wherever you go.
God is holding your hand every step of the way.
Even when we don’t know it, God is carrying us in the palm of His hand. Isaiah 41:10 says, “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.” Sometimes, we can read certain verses from scripture a hundred times and fail to take them to heart the way the Lord wants us to. Other times, we can linger on a verse or two, and let them minister life, healing and comfort to us. Isaiah 41:10 is so rich with the promises of God that it warrants special attention from us. Ultimately, the Lord wants to impart to us through this verse that we shouldn’t be afraid. “Fear not [there is nothing to fear].” One reason why God warns us against fear is that it can short-circuit the answered prayers and blessings that He has in store for us. When you are anxious, hold onto the promise that God is upholding you in His righteous hand.
God is our refuge and strength.
While we know that we can turn to God, too often we forget that God is always right there in our corner. Psalm 46:1 reminds us that, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” By definition, a refuge is a safe place. When the Bible describes God as our refuge, it is saying that God is our safe place when we need protection from something. Knowing God is our refuge enables us to trust Him more freely. We need not fear situations or people who threaten our well-being, whether in a physical or spiritual sense. There is no situation we will ever face that is out of God’s control, so the best place to be is right with Him.
God’s peace passes all understanding.
We know from scripture that the peace of God passes all understanding. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This is a wonderful promise. The believer who places his or her full confidence in a loving God and is thankful in every circumstance will possess a supernatural peace. An inner calm will dominate the heart. The faithful believer will know peace – his heart and mind are guarded by it. No one, especially those outside of Christ, will be able to fathom that peace. The most, it will remain a mystery how someone can be so serene in the midst of turmoil. Hold onto the promise that God’s supernatural peace surpasses all natural understanding.
God takes care of all things.
God promises that He will take care of our lives. Luke 12:22-26 says, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” What is so great about these verses is that it reminds us that we shouldn’t worry because God will take care of the big stuff and the little stuff. Worrying doesn’t change things, big or small, except to make those problems appear worse than they really are. Don’t get hung up on the big things. Cast your cares on God and then trust in His wisdom.
Anxiety and fear often pull us away from God. There’s nothing the devil loves to see more than us shifting away from God. Yet, we have the power to overcome fear by trusting in God’s active presence in our lives. We can have confidence in the fact that God will bring us through all our circumstances. Cast your anxieties on God and let Him do the rest.
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