When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3
I was asked a question in August that I didn’t have an answer immediately ready for. I hate when that happens! Sometimes I ask God, “How could I have lost that opportunity to help someone?” Maybe it wasn’t the right time or maybe there was a bigger plan ahead. Maybe I didn’t lose the opportunity at all, and I was just to comfort her with the knowledge she wasn’t alone. More could be said later.
It was a simple question, but if I would’ve tried to give the answer that I really wanted to give, it would’ve turned into a missed opportunity because fear was clouding a sweet, little girl’s mind. It wouldn’t have had as much of a lasting answer than the letter I felt God nudging me to prepare.
You see, God had this question come back to me several times over the last few months. He opened my eyes to something that he wanted me to give away to go along with the real answer that I hope helps this young lady in years to come.
The letter and gift I’m giving has allowed me to really look at how I handle the issue of fear. I learned that there are steps that I take to overcome fear in my life, but I don’t always do them intentionally. This has allowed me to recognize that and do better going forward.
I really debated about posting this because it’s personal…between me and a young person. I do believe however, that it can help many kids and adults that are dealing with fear in a simple way. I just left out the personal information that won’t really matter to you anyhow.
I was also concerned that people would think that I don’t take the damage weather can do seriously. I’m heartbroken at the devastation I’ve seen from tornadoes, hurricanes, and fires. This can be a cause of even more fear. At the same time, I believe some of this advice (along with many other things) can help those whose eyes have seen what certain weather can do. I encourage generosity in helping rebuild, giving support, and lots of prayers!
So, after changing a few things, let me share:
Recently you asked me a question that I wasn’t sure how to answer. You asked me if I’ve ever been afraid of storms. I told you that I used to be, but I had to think about what made me learn to be brave during them. I told you what other people had told me, but I never really answered your question on how not to be afraid. Actually, what other people told me never really helped me, so I’m guessing it probably didn’t help you either! I want to give you an answer that might get you passed that fear. I want you to be able to laugh and be calm when the storm is still going on!
As I got older, I realized that people call the weather that makes us hear loud booms and see bright lightning: storms, but people also call hard times that we have in life storms too. There isn’t actually thunder and lightning, but these times can be just as scary. As I grew up and experienced many of the weather type storms, my fear lessened because I was still ok after each one. I got more confident that I’d get through them.
I noticed that I was spending a lot of time afraid when the thunder started, but nothing ever happened. I was getting mad because I was ruining time that I had to feel good! I can’t even remember what I was actually afraid of…the lightning hitting me? I started realizing that kind of thinking was silly for me because I didn’t want to waste my time and I don’t want you to waste your time either.
Try to count how many storms you’ve gone through already in your life. You’re still ok! I’ve gone through a whole bunch too…I’m still ok! Now think about how much time you’ve spent afraid. All those times probably didn’t help you (like they didn’t help me), but only made you more fearful…ugg. My first piece of advice for you is to be confident. It’s happened before and we’re still safe. We can’t control it, so let’s not make ourselves sick worrying about it!
My cousin was so afraid of storms, that when she was young she would watch the meteorologists on television giving reports about the weather. She decided that learning about what was making her afraid would help her conquer her fears. That was many years ago, and now she’s on television after going to college and becoming a meteorologist! She learned how to take action to be the safest she could be and pass that information on to others.
Learn about how storms are good for the earth. Learn the best ways to be safe when you see lightning outside. My second piece of advice for you is to learn about what you’re afraid of and use that information to stay as safe as possible. You just might find your life’s calling (what you’re meant to do when you get older) like my cousin did!
The most important thing that I’ve learned to do was trust God. That’s easy to say, but not easy to do when you hear the thunder rumbling isn’t it? That’s because we have “crazy” thinking when the storms come! We need to change what we’re focusing on. I’ve learned that the more we’re focused on something, the bigger it becomes. When we start thinking about good things, it shrinks the bad things.
I challenge you to think about things that make you happy. Knowing that God is surrounding me makes me happy and comfortable, so I thank Him that He’s protecting me. I know that if something bad does happen, God is there to get me through it. I start thinking about the family and friends who make my days better. Those go on my list! I say that I’m thankful for things like my vacations I’ve gone on and warm blankets right out of the dryer. I get thankful for areas where I’ve seen success (have you gotten a good score on a hard test?) I’m thankful for hugs…those are yours!
You’re changing your mind to think on good and right thoughts when you start naming things you’re thankful for! My third piece of advice for you is to start naming all the things you can think of that you’re thankful for when you start getting “crazy” thinking. I want to give you a rock that has been sitting in front of me for nearly a year. It’s called a crazy lace agate. I kept the “crazy” rock on my desk so that when I’d see it, it would remind me to focus on gratitude (thankfulness) and not “crazy” thinking. We found it in North Carolina, and it even has the one side polished. Feel how smooth it is! When we’re thankful, we smooth out our feelings and emotions. They aren’t so rough any more!
I heard a lady named Terri Savelle Foy express F.E.A.R. like this: False Evidence Appearing Real
When we have those thoughts about what’s going to happen, but they don’t, it’s kind of like false evidence appearing real (F.E.A.R) right?
I’m giving you ways that help me get out of fear, and I hope you’ll try some of them and they work for you. The first thing I do is pray though, because I know God is bigger than my fear. I like to repeat something it says in the Bible under Isaiah 41:10. It says, “Fear not! There is nothing to fear, for I am with you.” We’re never alone! The boys like that one too. My final and most important piece of advice is to say a prayer and repeat verses like in Isaiah. It helps!
You aren’t alone in experiencing fear. Every person does. I still do too…especially with those life storms! Many of the ways that I found to deal with the weather storms helps us deal with the life storms too.
Well, that was it. I sure hope it helps her as much as it helped me writing it. I’m posting it believing there’s someone else who needed this too.
