A Prayer When You Need Freedom from Fear and Worry
By Betsy de Cruz
“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” - Hebrews 2:14-15
I claim to trust God, but fear grips my mind at random moments. Like the other night when my husband was 10 minutes late, I started imagining He’d had a terrible accident. I knew a hundred reasons could cause his delay, but I kept picturing his wrecked blue car on Highway 75.
Does it happen to you as well? Your child has a headache, and you wonder about brain tumors. Your boss calls you to a meeting, and you envision yourself in an unemployment line. Fear can be irrational, yet sometimes bad things actually do happen, which is why we experience fearful thoughts in the first place.
Hard circumstances may come our way in this world, but God’s children don’t have to fear them beforehand because we can trust our Father will show us His faithfulness in all situations.
Jesus shared our humanity, yet He never worried because He knew His Father was in control. Even when Jesus faced death, He turned His thoughts to His Father and prayed. Jesus died to break the power of Satan over us, and by His resurrection, He defeated death, setting us free from slavery to fear of death.
Think about it. Isn’t death the worst thing we fear? When someone gets cancer or has a car accident, we fear they will die. Yet Jesus conquered death when He rose from the grave, and His promise of eternal life to all who believe in Him means we need not fear death. In a strange turnaround, for those who place their faith in Jesus, death becomes not our worst day, but our best, because it is the doorway to beautiful, forever life with Jesus.
If we don’t have to fear death, maybe we don’t have to fear smaller things either. If Jesus has power over death, he also has control over the financial problem that keeps us up at night. He knows the end of the story, and He works all things for our good.
What is worrying you today, my friend?
How about turning your attention to Jesus, the Savior who is able to deliver you from every trial? What if you surrender your fears to Him and consider them in the light of biblical truth? One day your death will be the entrance into eternal abundant life, and the problem you face now is a doorway to see more of God’s power and experience a closer relationship with Him.
Let’s draw near to Jesus in prayer.
Let’s pray:
Jesus, I praise you today because you have won the victory over sin and death. I praise you for the power of the resurrection, which demonstrates your power over all things. Lord, thank you for the gift of everlasting life. No matter what happens today, Lord, I need not fear because I have the hope of eternity with you.
Jesus, forgive me for doubting instead of trusting you. Thank you for having mercy and compassion on my weakness. Lord, I surrender the situations that worry me into your loving hands. Put my fears to rest as I see them in the light of my Heavenly Father’s great power and love. Help me fully believe you are working out your good purposes. You have the last say over my circumstances today. Give me the grace I need to rest in your arms and trust your care over me and my loved ones.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Photo credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/francescoch
Betsy de Cruz writes and speaks to help overwhelmed women take small steps to invite more of God’s presence and power into their lives. Connect with Betsy and get a free Quiet Time Renewal Guide at FaithSpillingOver.com. Her book More of God is a distracted woman’s guide to more meaningful quiet times. Betsy and her husband José live in Arlington, Texas and love hanging with their two young adult children.
Related Resource: Establishing a Routine of Rest
For a long time, rest felt less like a gift and more like a guilty indulgence — something to be earned, something to feel vaguely ashamed of, something that productive, faithful people did not really need. In a world that measures worth by output, the idea of stopping feels dangerously close to falling behind.
But what if rest is not optional? What if it was never meant to be? Tonight, lay down the hustle. Receive the gift. This is exactly what you were made for. Your Nightly Prayer is a daily Christian prayer podcast from the LifeAudio Podcast Network and Crosswalk.com. Each night, the team behind Crosswalk.com brings you a devotional and prayer to help you end your day in conversation with God. May these nightly prayers help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on the love of God as you end your day. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Friday, 06 October 2023.
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