In the trials of life, you decide what your response will be—no one else can do that for you. When fear presents itself and that panic button pops up in your mind, remind yourself: I have a choice here. I can choose to panic or choose faith and peace and joy instead.
To panic means you allow yourself to be overcome by sudden fear. But God made you not to be overcome, but an overcomer. You don’t pull out the white flag of surrender to your fears. Instead, you stay the course. You meet fear face-to-face with faith since you can’t conquer what you can’t confront.
You can’t confront what you are unwilling to identify. Identify the fears in your life and let these thoughts know they are not going to live in your mind rent-free any longer. Maybe you’re thinking, Some thoughts have lived in my mind for so long, they could be drawing Social Security by now. You can still choose today as the time to stop fearful and panicky thoughts. You say to God, “I’m going to trust you to bring me through” and when anxiousness begins to rise, you say it again. And again.
Take heart in Jesus’ encouragement: Do not let your heart be troubled. Rely on me. Visualize Jesus taking that panic button from you. He’s offering to hold it anyway. You might be thinking: It’s not enough to simply have faith that God is in control—I need Him here, right now, right here beside me. Well he is. He promised to never forsake you. Do you believe? It is a choice.
