Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV) God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There are so many things in this world that can make you afraid. Even people who pride themselves in their courage have deep fears within. They just do a really good job of masking them. We live in a fallen, corrupt world and what will happen is unknown to us, including what people will do that will affect our lives for good or bad. Nothing is guaranteed to us in this world and anything that we put our trust in can crumble at a moment's notice. A great many people live with high levels of anxiety and fear because of all of this. The situation in our country and in the world at large doesn't help any as there is so much violence, chaos and unrest all around us. How can we live in the peace that Jesus promised us when things are so uncertain and unpeaceful?

Thanks be to our Lord Jesus, who is the one that makes our lot secure. We succumb to anxiety when we focus on the trouble and chaos around us instead of focusing on the God who has promised to watch over us. We get anxious when we concentrate on our own strength and trust in anything or anyone other than God. But when we remember who our God is and what He is able to do, then our fear and anxiety levels go way down. It is so important to remember that we belong to a God that loves us and that has our lives in His hands and that we are free to run to Him for protection at any time. Like the passage of scripture above says, He is ever-present! He never leaves us alone. Notice how fearless the psalmist gets even in the midst of frightening events. As many frightening situations as I have experienced in my lifetime, I have never seen the earth give way or the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. Those seem like things that would be experienced during an end of the world scenario. Yet, when God is your refuge, even if the world was ending, our hope wouldn't end and neither would our help from God.

Be free from stress, anxiousness, fear or uncertainty by staying close to Jesus and learning to make Him your refuge and your strength at all times and through all situations. He will never fail you and will bring you and those you love safely through all the turmoil in your life while giving you His peace through it all. Be at rest because Jesus has you covered. As you make Him your refuge, your strength and your ever-present help always, you will find yourself on the road to fearlessness no matter what comes your way.

Pastor Joey Vazquez