Prayer in times of fear!

Dear friends

The difficult days that are lived in the world make the inner life of people more tragic and ruthless. The political, social, economic, labor and international instability of societies often becomes a source of instability and insecurity in individuals, who do not know how to face situations that exceed them in every way.

In the sacred scriptures we are shown the example of Nehemiah who had set to work in the recovery of the wall of Jerusalem. The material work was immense, and to this was added the enormous negative pressure that the opposition to the work generated through the enemies. There was an air of pessimism among all the people who were subtly infiltrated by Israel's enemies: "Tobiah the Ammonite was near him, and said: 'Even what you are building, if a fox jumps on it, it will knock down its stone wall . '"(Nehemiah 4: 3).

Nehemiah is not afraid of threats and bad omens. Where was the source of your strength in the face of fear? In that he had a heart prepared to face the fear and fear that allowed him not to have to fight with himself and his problems at the same time. The situation was an external conflict and not an internal civil war. How difficult it is to solve a problem when, in addition to having to fight with the situation, we also have to face ourselves! What should be a war on a single front, becomes a civil war and an external conflict at the same time.

Fear and anxiety are among the emotions that destroy the peace of the human being and tend to crumble his personality. Fear is one of the indispensable elements to safeguard human life, but when it becomes panic, terror, and chronic anxiety, it is overwhelming and destructive.

Fear is the first elemental alarm system of every living being, a device so well tuned that, at the first sign of danger, the organism is alert to escape or to fight. We must not eliminate fear, but learn to use it.

It is remarkable how fear can become a powerfully creative motive. Many of the things we enjoy now are the result of the desire to overcome fear. Just as the word "love" varies in its indirect meaning from lust and lasciviousness, to devotion and sacrifice; Likewise, the meanings of fear cover a wide range, from prudence and foresight, fright and panic, through fright and reverence, and even "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 1: 7). ).

Bringing out the object of our fear is an unavoidable and necessary personal obligation. The secret fears hide in the cellars of the personality and gnaw the very foundations of our being, like hidden diseases that cloud our spirit.

If the fear of Nehemiah and the people had gone in the wrong direction, then the weak heart would have turned into weakness and not strength. By virtue of it, people can get sick or go crazy with worry. What is triggered? Tremors, nausea, fainting, palpitations, seizures. Fear alarms and the body responds, but without purpose.

The purpose of life that produces positive fear is one of the noblest motives in the heart of the human being. To face a dangerous situation, refuse flight and subterfuge, objectively face the situation, accept the challenge, maintain dignity. All are inspiring motifs that celebrate life. Quite the opposite is a death song. And it becomes nobler even when we are able to deal with our fear in love for others.

Nehemiah overcame all his fears by embracing a cause, for the love of the Lord, his people and Jerusalem. His fear could have made him return to his old and safe occupation of Copero, to cover himself under the security that the king's appreciation offered him. However, he stayed and did not hesitate to continue fighting.

Image source

The final step to overcome fear is faith. Much of the fear is produced by the feeling of vertigo that produces the existential vacuum. Only the Lord, only He, can provide true security in the face of fear of any kind. As we read in the Gospel of Mark: "Looking at Jesus, He said: For men it is impossible, but not for God, because all things are possible for God." (Mark 10:27)

That is why our mind must also be refreshed every day of the Word of faith, so that when a bad circumstance arises it is they who direct us on how to act or react instead of fear.

Maybe now you find yourself in a very complicated situation and you do not know how you will get out of it, I want to encourage you to put your trust in God, since He will fight for you, give you strength and also help you find a way out. As his word says, "Yahweh goes before you; He will be with you, he will not leave you, nor forsake you; Do not fear or be intimidated. " (Deuteronomy 31:8)