Sounds so simple, doesn’t it?  “Don’t be afraid,” is a common phrase to use when you’re a parent trying to make life easier for your child – when you want to encourage someone to try harder or follow their dreams – when you’re trying to convince yourself that everything is going to be all right.

How can that phrase ease our minds and set us free from worry when we’re being inundated with news of thousands losing their lives to a pandemic? How can we draw comfort when we are confined to our homes and our routines have been turned upside down?  Here we are at the beginning of our third week of isolation.  It looks like it could go on for a long time.

Fear seems to be one of those emotions that leads to other ones – like anxiety, depression, loneliness, isolation, self-pity, thoughts of suicide and on and on.  So how does one nip it in the bud?  Fear starts at the beginning of life.  When we enter the world, we’re forced through a difficult time pushing our way through a canal much too small for our body. We struggle through the opening and gasp our first breath, our lungs fill and our voice is heard.  That first sound is cry.  That alone should tell you that life is no picnic.

When we take our first steps, we’re risking falling and hurting ourselves.  Once again, we’re facing the unknown and fear sets in. When we learn to drive – experience our first kiss – when we fall in love – when we face financial difficulty, disease or loss of a loved one – when life is filled with negativity – when we can see no hope for the future – when we age and when we die – we’re experiencing fear, whether we believe it or not.

Today our fears are caused by numbers, statistics, financial roller coaster rides and not having enough.  We’re afraid because we’ve never experienced anything like this before in our lifetime.

Today is the beginning of a new week.  We should be able to look forward to it with positive thoughts, but it’s not easy when you’re cloistered, restrained, and fearful.  Still, those of us who are following the guidelines expected of us now are looking for solutions.  We must not let fear overtake us.  God will get us through this.  Maybe it’s a leap of faith to believe that, but God wants us to place our complete trust in Him.  By doing so, we’re allowing Him to do his best work.

Don’t be afraid!