The Bible says: ‘There is no fear in love…perfect love casts out fear.’ When we’re frightened, a loving, comforting presence can push that fear away. Nobody is immune to fear, and every one of us needs a secure base that we can run to. And we have one in God. When we’re afraid, our body activates its sympathetic nervous system and triggers a fight-or-flight response. Our heart races, our breathing becomes faster and shallower and our muscles tense up. In those times, we need to run to our non-anxious presence: God our comforter, protector and parent. And as we are held, reassured and loved by Him, the parasympathetic system takes over. Our heart rate slows, our breathing becomes deep and even, our muscles relax and blood flows back to our brain. In essence, a voice inside us says, ‘It’s okay to carry on.’ ‘Perfect love casts out fear’ in the spiritual realm as well as the physical realm. In Psalm 91 we read: ‘I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust”…He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart’ (v.2-4 NIV). His strength is great enough to withstand and protect us from any attack of the enemy, but He’s gentle with us. He’s our place of safety and security, and we can run to Him any time. With a God who is tender enough to love and comfort us, but also strong enough to be our rock and our fortress, we can face what life throws at us and grow stronger as a result.

What Now?

Find a picture of a strong tower, and then over it write any words or phrases from Psalm 91 that you find especially comforting. Keep your picture as a reminder of God’s love and protection in times of fear.