Face Fear With Faith
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.—Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.—PSALM 27:14 (NIV)
Sometimes being a caregiver to my husband, Herb, who suffered from severe anxiety and depression, was more than I felt I could handle.
Watching Herb for signs that he might be considering suicide was a 24-hour job. At times he would become so overwhelmed with sadness that he’d call 911. “I can’t live like this anymore!” he’d wail to the dispatcher. The police would arrive and talk him into going with them to the psychiatric wing of the local hospital. I’d follow the police and sit in the waiting room with Herb—sometimes for up to four hours. Upset by his neverending sobbing, I’d find myself holding my breath, which I’ve realized I do unconsciously when I’m extremely stressed. “Breathe. Breathe!” I’d remind myself. I felt I was forever wasting my life in waiting rooms.
Eventually, Herb was put in long-term psychiatric care. I never knew if he would come home again. I cried. I read the Bible for comfort. I especially loved the story of Nebuchadnezzar in the Book of Daniel. He waited seven years before God healed him of his madness. I clung to the hope that God would heal Herb.
We waited for 20 months until Herb was allowed to come home. It turned out the wait was worth it after all.
Father, please give us the strength and perseverance to keep waiting for your plans to be revealed to us.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.—Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.—2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.—Proverbs 12:22 (NIV)