Charlie Brown, the famous character in Charles M. Schultz’s Peanuts comic strip, is quoted as saying, “I think I’m afraid of being happy because whenever I get too happy something bad always happens.” Don’t we all feel that way—at least sometimes? Our happiness is often diminished because we’re so afraid of what might happen to ourselves or to our loved ones. We live in a dangerous world, and there’s no escaping that fact.

Yes, fear is an awful emotion to endure. But remember—we don’t have to endure it. The Bible says, “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments…. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord” (Psalm 112:1, 7). The Bible tells us to fear God. Don’t fear life (see Ecclesiastes 3:14-15). The Lord has determined your path. Come before Him today and tell Him you are choosing to fear Him with godly reverence, to follow His plan, and to trust Him to care for you, come what may.

If the Lord be with us, we have no cause to fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, and His ear open to our prayer—His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable.
John Newton