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Calming Our Fears

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Remain calm and carry on! A familiar slogan, but easier said than done. When someone you know is really scared, what can you do to help them overcome their fears?

Do you know what most people do? They try to divert their attention away! If they are drowning, they are told to keep moving and breath, help is on the way! If they’re afraid of heights they yell, “Don’t look down! Take it slow.”

No matter the situation, a person still feels in danger and has deep fear. They are sinking, they are falling. They are experiencing real fear. There must be a better solution to help those who are afraid.

God wants you to trust in him. In the Bible he provides the answer to quieting fear: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go” (Genesis 28:15). And also, “Cast all your anxiety (fear) on him (Christ) because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Do you know someone who is afraid? Maybe you can calm their fears by sharing God’s saving promise. He is with us.

Do you regret not knowing what to say? Then perhaps you can read your Bible more and learn what to say. Learn how to calm your fears and give hope to others.

Fear is a powerful emotion, but it does not have the final say. True peace comes from recognizing that while fear is a natural feeling, God’s power is always greater than our anxiety.

It is God’s love for them that will help them overcome their fear. God proved this love for us by sending his Son, Jesus, to take away the sins of the world and give us his true peace.

Direct people to Jesus’ love and you will help them overcome their fears!

Bible verses to calm you when you are afraid:

  • He is with you: You are never alone in your struggle (Isaiah 41:10).
  • He gives peace: He trades your anxiety for a calm mind (Philippians 4:6-7).
  • He provides power: You are equipped with power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).
  • He hears you: He listens to your cries and delivers you from dread (Psalm 34:4).
  • He protects you: He acts as a shield when you feel vulnerable (Psalm 56:3).

More verses to explore:

  • Joshua 1:9
  • Hebrews 13:5b-6
  • 1 Timothy 1:7
  • Exodus 14:14
  • Isaiah 41:13
Prayer Fear

How can I be safe in a terrifying world?

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Are you afraid? There are scary people and scary events in this world. But terror is not really outside of you. It’s internal. Terror is being so afraid inside that you are paralyzed outside, unable to live a normal life.

Because terror is internal, the solution to it has to be something that works internally. Lots of people try to work out internal solutions, such as “sucking it up” or “lifting themselves up by their own boot straps.” But those don’t seem to work.

Experts will tell you that you have to go outside of yourself to feel safe. They suggest a network of friends and reliable diversions to take your mind off what’s bothering you.

Do you want to feel safe? Real feelings of safety come from actually being safe. That’s where Jesus comes in. No fear!

He’s not called “Savior” for nothing. He has actually made us safe from the devil (1 John 3:8). He has defeated the worst enemy of all, death (1 Corinthians 15:55), rescuing us from the fear of what comes after death. He has saved us from hell by winning forgiveness for us (Luke 1:77).

When you get to know the power and love of Jesus, you can say and really mean things like: “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress. . .You will not fear the terror of the night. . .No harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent” (Psalm 91).

Jesus is the answer to all of our fears.

There are still scary people and things out there. You can still feel uneasy in scary situations. But when you have Jesus, you have real safety where it’s needed — inside.

Fishers of men

He Calms Our Fears

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Peter had no idea what was going on but he knew fear.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”… Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him (Luke 5:8,10,11).

Simon Peter and his friends were fishermen when they first knew Jesus. After a long night of catching nothing, they were ready to call it quits. But Jesus told them to put out their nets in the deep water. It was now the hottest and brightest part of the day. A catch of fish seemed even less likely at this point.

The miraculous catch Jesus gave them ripped their nets and caused their boats to sink! Immediately, Peter realized that this wasn’t just another teacher, but the Son of God. When Peter saw God’s power that day, he was filled with fear. More than ever, he felt the big difference between God and himself. He was a sinner and God was not. He was entirely at God’s mercy.

Maybe it was a huge thunderstorm or the power of crashing waves that first made you realize how big God is and how small you are. When we see the awesome wonders of God in this world, sometimes we feel the same way Peter did. Sometimes we conclude that we need to distance ourselves from God because of our sin. He is perfect and we are not. The Bible tells us that God has every right to punish us for all of eternity because of our sin. All of this strikes fear in our hearts. Jesus’ powerful miracles had this same effect on people. But at the same time, his miracles draw our attention to an important fact about our powerful God: he is here to save us. Jesus calms our fears.

Jesus told Peter, “Do not be afraid…” As God’s Son, he wasn’t there to harm Peter. He was there to save him, and that is just what he did when he died on the cross and rose again. Jesus’ words calm our fears as sinners before a holy God. Now, we don’t need to cry, “Away from me, Lord, for I am a sinner!” Instead, in the peace of his forgiveness, we can take the time to set down the nets of our daily work and follow him to something greater in his Word.