December 15, 2021

                                                     Week Three / Wednesday

Overcoming the Fear of…

Getting Hurt

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  - Psalm 27:1

I was 7 years old when my hamster, Stocking, died. He was a Christmas gift and I loved him with all my heart. When my mom told me Stocking had gone to heaven, I was inconsolable. The memory still hurts 50 years later.

Before I met Jesus, I thought I had no fear. But the truth is I ran from being hurt my whole life. I set up walls around my heart and soothed my fear with relentless activity and alcohol. But no matter what I did…I still got hurt!

All that time, God was waiting patiently for the day when I finally said “yes” to Him. That’s when He began to replace my flimsy walls with His stronghold.

Jesus knows the pain of being hurt, not only by His trusted friends but by His Father God on the cross. Oh, the searing pain that we will never have to experience because of what Jesus did for us!

In this life, we will be hurt. It’s something we have to accept as followers of Christ. But we don’t have to live in fear. Christ paved the way for us to fully experience God’s strength and comfort every day. All we need to do is believe…and ask.

The construction project on my heart continues every day. That’s why I hope you will join with me in committing to a daily prayer practice of asking God to fill you with His strength, so there is no more room for fear.

In what ways do you fear getting hurt?                  

Read Psalm 27:1 one more time.

• What does this scripture tell you about God?  

• What does this scripture tell you about your fear?

 

Prayer for Today:  LORD God, please heal the pain of my past and help me see my fear in new ways. Give me Your strength as I go forward in life, unafraid of being hurt. Amen.

Written by: Melinda Johansson

Giving Team, Touchpoints Care Team