Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” -Deuteronomy 31:6
If you see a small child holding their dad’s hand while crossing the street, there is no fear for that child because they are protected by the presence of their father. Or if a child is standing on a ledge, but they are held firmly by a loving father, there is no fear of the child accidentally slipping and falling. The father is there, ready and aware of dangers that the child is most likely unaware or ignoring completely as they take in the world around them.
It’s not a child’s job to keep himself safe, worrying about every possible danger that could harm him—that is the father’s job. It is the child’s job to listen to his father and obey him.
In the same way, we can trust in our strong, loving heavenly Father to care for us in any and all situations in our lives. We need not fear. We don’t need to summon up courage and strength in ourselves. We can be strong and have courage by simply looking to our Father, knowing He doesn’t ever leave us. Our courage doesn’t come from our abilities or resilience. It comes from our trust in God.
We can be strong, without fear, when we remember Who is holding us in His hands. He is near.
Today’s prayer:
Thank you God for never leaving me. Thank you for walking with me and allowing me to rest knowing You are in control. Help me remember you are with me when I am feeling afraid or alone. Help me live my life with courage because You are with me. In Jesus’s name, amen.