My son went off to kindergarten and came home afraid. His anxieties and worries were not what I had expected. I told him that fear is normal over and over again but it took time for him to settle into a routine and feel comfortable. As I was helping him through the process I came to comprehend why we need fear, even when God tells us not to be afraid.
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Fear is a normal human emotion. It is what keeps us alive, keeps us wary and prevents us from doing dangerous things. God gave us fear for a reason!
The problem is when our fear interferes with our everyday life. When the things we worry about take over our minds and prevent us from doing things we love or having the courage to try something new.
Share with someone who is going through a time of fear to encourage them!
I couldn’t help but feel this way as I sent my son off to kindergarten. He was more than ready for school, but what he wasn’t ready for were the things that are attached to school but not necessarily part of the classroom learning.
He wasn’t ready for the big yellow bus or the bustling playground filled with kids. He didn’t know how to handle these new experiences and thus was afraid.
He clung to me, crying, asking why he had to go to school. I reminded him that he liked school, he liked his classroom and his teacher. He liked playing, learning and asking questions. There were so many good things he wanted to enjoy but we had to get through the fearful part to get there.
Parting the Red Sea
It reminded me so much of the story of Moses parting the Red Sea. The people of Israel had been saved from the bondage of Egypt and could taste freedom except for the Red Sea that blocked them from fully escaping Pharaoh.
They cried out to Moses, afraid that they had made a mistake in leaving the “safety” of their slavery for the unknown. Moses said “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will work for you today…The Lord will fight for you, you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:13-14).
These verses in themselves are wonderful for days when we are filled with fear. A reminder that when we get caught up in all the emotions fear brings, instead we need to be still.
Seems counterintuitive, if you have a fight or flight response, you likely don’t want to stand still and listen. Even if you have a freeze response you likely are not thinking clearly and aren’t able to process what is happening with a clear mind.
And yet, fear is normal and in many ways helpful, if we learn to quiet our racing thoughts so we can hear God’s words.
If we are panicking we will miss the miracles He has for us. We will miss the courage He is offering. We will miss the parting of the Red Sea so we can walk to safety.
Fear has a way of blinding us from God’s goodness. But if we harness it and use it as a reminder that while in our weakness we may not be able to accomplish something, it is God who can. In that moment of terror, we must turn to Him and put our faith in His mighty hand.
Just as my son needed to pause his racing thoughts and let God carry him on the big yellow bus so he could get to the enjoyment of school on the other side. Instead of focusing on the scary activity, He needed to focus on the fun part at the end of the trip.
You see, fear is normal, it tells us to be cautious, to check for danger and to keep ourselves safe, but we don’t want it to stop us from getting to our destination or living a life for God.
God Doesn’t Remove Obstacles
The wonderful thing about our Heavenly Father is that He doesn’t remove our obstacles. While He had the power to dry up the Red Sea, if He had done that, He couldn’t have shown His strength to the Egyptians who were pursuing the people of Israel.
In our mind, we think we know how God should remove the fear we face but we can’t see all sides of God’s plan. We may not see His strength or faithfulness if He simply took the obstacle away.
We may not draw close to Him and find His comfort in the difficulty if there is no difficult to overcome!
For printable resources to help your children learn how to pray, grab these digital downloads from my Etsy store.
Fear is Normal So You Can Trust In God
The most important thing I am teaching my son is that when he feels those pangs of fear, anxiety, worry or uncertainty, he needs to pray. A silent prayer seeking God, asking for His courage or comfort is all he needs.
Fear is there to keep us from harm but it is also there so we are reminded to trust God. Otherwise we walk into situations forgetting that His spirit is with us and will guide us.
The next time you feel worry start to overcome you, remember that fear is normal, not because you are supposed to be afraid but because you need to seek your Heavenly Father. It is a reminder that He is what will give you courage if you pause and ask for His strength.
Fear is normal, which is what our children need to learn. Help them understand the purpose of it and how they can use the feeling to remind themselves that they should turn to God in times of doubt.
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