My 5 favorite Bible verses for fear

Violence, crime, terrorism, unemployment, economic uncertainty, disease – we have an endless list of potential reasons to be fearful. However, we cannot spend our lives controlled by fear.  One of our deepest fears often relates to our families and our children. When our children are fully grown and about to leave home, we fear for their future.  We are no longer able to protect them as much.  We have to allow them to make mistakes and grow into independent human beings.  It is often difficult to watch this process without feeling some fear.  Here are five of my favorite Bible verses for dealing with fear.

I held on to this verse in 2 Timothy 1:7 at a time when I felt as though anxiety was destroying me. It was taking over my life and affecting my mind and my health. The knowledge that God had given me a sound mind, not one riddled with fear and anxiety, helped to carry me through. I quoted this verse to myself every morning when I woke up and every night before I fell asleep. I soaked in these words over and over until I felt as though they were part of me.

The next verse, from Isaiah 41, always makes me aware of the mighty power of God’s right hand holding me up. We have to remember that He is holding us up and giving us strength. We don’t have to face our fears with our own strength. In the light of His power, our fears melt away, and no longer have any power over us.

Psalm 23:4 is probably one of the most well-known ones in the Bible. Many of us face the ‘valley of the shadow of death’ in our lives. David received comfort from the fact that the Lord was with Him in the deep, dark places.  God never promised David that he would take him around the valley or provide a way for him to avoid it. He does, however,  promise to go through it with him. As a shepherd, David would have used a staff and a rod to protect his sheep.  He sees God providing comfort for him in the same way. We are never alone in a dark place  – God is there with us.

In 1 John 4:18 we read that perfect love casts out fear. If we are not aware of God’s perfect love for us, we are fearful. When we begin to grasp the extent of His love for us, it overrides any fear. If we live in His love, and He lives in us, fear has no place. They can’t both live within us at the same time. Fear has to give way to love.

When we experience the peace of the Lord, our hearts are no longer troubled or fearful. In John 14:27 Jesus says that He has given us His peace. There is no room for fear in a life that is steeped in love and peace, where God strengthens and supports you.

What are your favorite Bible verses that help you to deal with your fear?