Originally published Thursday, 04 August 2016.
We feel it. Fear about the future. Anxiety about the present. Worry about the unknown.
It feels like the boat is rocking. Storm blowing hard. Waves pushing fast.
We wonder, “How can I move forward, when I can’t see?” We ask, “How do I go back, when I feel alone?”
We call out to God, asking for His help, “Where are You? Do You care? Do You see me? How will You help me not drown?”
It feels impossible to stop the cycle of fear, once it begins.
Do you know the secret to not sinking, not drowning? Do you know what to do when life is hard and we don’t know how to lift our heads?
The secret is remembering, first, who we are, how we are made. “The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life” (Job 33:4). We remember we are formed by the very hands of God. We remember our breath is breathed into us by our Father. We remember that this is where life is. And that there is no life in fear.
The second step is remembering that when we call out to God for help, our prayer is just the beginning of a conversation. We remember God is with us, ready to listen, wanting to communicate to the daughter whom He loves. We remember God is our Father, our King, our Friend who actually loves conversing with us—in a manner unique to each of us.
I am challenged by Jesus’ reminder in Luke 6:46: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” When we hear only our own voice crying out to God—when we don’t believe God is with us or we don’t wait on His response, fear is what drowns us. It feels impossible then to claim hope.
Yet there is more here for us, sisters. When our prayers with God are conversations—a sharing and a listening both, there is more life. More beauty. More joy. More peace. Perhaps it would help if we had examples of women who call out to God in the midst of their fears—women who call out to God for help and who listen for what He has to say back?
the fear of infertility
Hannah is afraid to trust her heart with this desire to want a child. She fears she wants too much. Do you need God to whisper to your heart about a similar fear, too?
the fear of low finances
Tessa—homeless and without a job—begs for God’s wisdom, encouragement, and hope. Would you like to know what He says to her, in the midst of stress and uncertainty?
the fear of illness
Samantha is facing unknown results about her health. How do you need God to speak to you about health problems you are facing?
Hannah, Tessa, and Samantha have particular fears that might be different from the ones you personally face. Yet I bet you can relate to them, somehow. What produces life change in these women—and in us—is when our prayers are not just one-sided pleas. They are conversations.
Want to learn more about how to have conversations with God, with me?
In what way are you now struggling with fear? How are you excited to begin a conversation with God about it?
If you want to learn more about how to go about having a conversation with God, pre-order your copy of Breathing Eden: Conversations with God on Light, Fresh Air, and New Things. I think this book is going to change you. When you pre-order it, let me know by emailing me an image of your Amazon receipt (jennifer@gatherministries.com), and I will send you the first five chapters of Breathing Eden, as well as the free ebook, Prayers for the Women of Breathing Eden.
This post appeared originally at jenniferjcamp.com