I Will Not Be Afraid

Psalm 118:6-8 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me. It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. 

I will not be afraid. It sounds like such a bold statement and so easily done. Maybe it is just me, but I can be afraid. There have been moments in my life where I have been deathly afraid. Two or three come to mind very vividly. One when I said yes to my then boyfriend who would become my husband when we got married. You see boyfriend and girlfriend, that relationship, in my mind could be so easily dissolved if he or I so chose right? You at that point in our lives truly we weren’t joined together. We didn’t live together. I had my own car. He had his. Don’t get me wrong, we spent a lot of time together, but we weren’t intermingled, our existence on this planet earth was still truly separate and distinct. 

The second instance, childbirth. I never thought I would have kids. Here’s why, I don’t do physical pain in any shape or form. Seriously, just the thought or idea of childbirth filled my mind and my visual with intense amounts of pain. As such, I couldn’t fathom bringing an element of life into this world. I was sorel afraid. Not only did I give birth but ended up having not one but two cesarean sections. May I share with you that the epidural medicine did not work for me. 

The third time I was desperately afraid was at my job as a Deputy Commissioner of Finance and Administration when I inherited a staff member from another city department that just wouldn’t do right. In not doing right, I as the supervisor had to involve the union,  progressive discipline process and so much more. Something which I had never done before and this is the big bad city of Chicago, not Podunk, Illinois. So please know I was beyond afraid. I was petrified.  I didn’t sleep. I cried a few times. It was not easy. 

I’m sure there are many more times in my life where I’ve been afraid. Yet these three instances stick out very vividly. The fear that I felt was very real. However, I forgot something someone, some very key elements. Basic instructions before leaving earth found here in Psalm 118:6-8. The Lord is with me. How about, I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? He is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. 

You see saints I had forgotten to put it all in HIi hands. I lost sight, took my eyes off of my Creator, my Dad, my God. I had forgotten how powerful and mighty He is. There is nothing in this earth that can defeat Him or is greater than He is. 

You see my Lord, in the midst of this covenant contract partnership life experience journey, is with me. What can this mere mortal husband do that my Daddy won’t help me. You see the enemy had me focusing on the unknown on a life experience that I had never had. However, can I share with you saints that there is nothing, no boyfriend/girlfriend relationship that can compare to a Christ covenant relationship. The helper’s presence makes it that much better and sweeter. To take refuge in Him, gives a better response that trust in a human, when those spousal disagreeable moments arise as they well. Huh, just wait.  

May I share saints that He is a helper even during childbirth physical pain that He promised in His word, because I’m still here to tell the story and those children are now 11 years and 15 years respectively. These mere mortals can’t do what the Lord, my helper can do as through this child rearing stewardship journey I’ve grown, given up my control demon and seen strength that I didn’t know I possessed. As I’ve prayed, fasted and submitted myself and them back to the Lord who is with us and helping us all. That we can indeed learn from the children.  

So, we will not be afraid saints. We will not be afraid, because the fear comes from our trust in humans when we look at them as our Lord. But there is only one true Lord, true God that is with us always helping and paving the way. You see when our hope our faith is in our God fear has no choice but to leave. Our powerful purposeful God has dominion and authority over all. His power is overwhelming. HIs power is all consuming that no other can compare. So, let us not be afraid as our Lord, our God, our Father’s helping us at each and every turn.