Keep Telling God Your Fears
By Meg Bucher
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. - 2 Thessalonians 3:16 NIV
“I’m afraid …”
The weight of the day crushed me before the sun came up, as I prayerfully listed out fears in every area of my life. Afraid is a feeling of fear, regret, unhappiness, reluctance, or unwillingness. Today’s verse promises peace at all times and in every way, so why does life default so easily to the opposite?
Paul wrote today’s verse to the church in Thessalonica enduring persecution. Their heads were undoubtedly teeming with fears. Human nature bids us consider how flawed we are, and the elements stacked against us. When we do, those deceitful and toxic thought-trails can keep us from living life to the full as Jesus died for.
God is intentional with every detail of our days, including whom he chooses to deliver a message through, especially when we are afraid. Paul, who had suffered immensely for Christ in his lifetime, could cut through the fear in Thessalonica. They knew he felt their pain and understood their fear. Scripture promises God hears us. The Holy Spirit translates what we fail to adequately put into words. And faithfully, He answers, because He cares for us.
2 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” His answers aren’t accidental. Perpetually, He is listening, leaning in, and answering us. He is our Healer, our Rock, and our Redeemer. More than all, He is our Father. Love is who He is. A good earthly father will address his child’s fears and offer comfort and encouragement. How much more will our Maker do? Our perfect, unfailing, Father in heaven. Commander of angel armies.
In today’s verse, all is an essential concept to understand. Jesus came for all of us. The peace He gives to all who believe in Him is meant to permeate all of our lives in all situations. We can’t earn it or lose it. But we can let fear cause us to forget about it. When we do, God doesn’t shame us. He reminds us. Let us not be ashamed of what we’re afraid of, but instead reminded to bravely release every fear into the arms of the Father. The Voice paraphrase reads, “And now, dear friends, may the Lord of peace Himself grace you with peace always and in everything. May the Lord be present with all of you.”
Meg Bucher writes about everyday life within the love of Christ. An author, freelance writer and blogger at Sunny&80, she earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University. Her first book, “Friends with Everyone,” is available on amazon.com. Meg leads/teaches Bible Study in Women’s and Junior High Ministry. Living in Northern Ohio, she’s been wife to Jim for a decade and counting, is mom to two tween daughters, a distance runner, photographer, Cleveland Browns fan.
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If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Wednesday, 01 May 2024.
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