He Calms Us

February 12, 2022

Good Morning! I’m mostly alive and back in my own bed. Thank you for that. I truly didn’t realise how comfortable my bed is to me until I opted to sleep somewhere else last night to get as far as possible from the dog’s barking. Thank you for calming the dog eventually, though I am very thankful for you calming me first. 

The cats had a field day (night) with me being on that side of the house, until they decided to settle too. Thank you for the wake up call, which truthfully had the weirdest song (well weird) for me on my mind. 

“At first I was afraid, I was petrified.” But I just hummed the rest because honestly I don’t know the words very well. But then I intentionally focused my thoughts on “Build your Church” as I was definitely listening to that song yesterday and I honestly did not want Gloria Gainer on my mind. But the line truly reminded me of another way that you show your love. The song says “at first” I was afraid. And the truth is so many times in this world we are afraid. Afraid to fail, afraid to live, afraid to love, afraid to succeed, afraid to go skydiving (okay that one does still scare me some). Afraid to face the music. Afraid for what tomorrow might hold. Afraid to face today. There is fear in so many of us, but (there are some buts that are just awesome), you promised us that we never have to be afraid once our hearts are fixed on you. “Perfect love casts out all fear.” (Sometimes the King James Version says it best). 1 John 4:18.

There is no fear in love. And we’re seeing where an imperfect person who loves another imperfect person overcomes their fear of something because of their love for that person. What about you? You are perfect. You are the very embodiment of love. So when scripture says perfect love casts out of fear, it’s not talking of a feeling that we have, it’s talking about you. You are that perfect love. You are the one who casts out fears. But I have felt you work in different ways to get rid of fear.

Fear: An unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain or harm. Anxious concern. 

Fear (Biblical): Same as the above but also – profound reverence and awe especially towards God. 

It’s amazing isn’t it? How Yahweh uses the same word to represent how he should be treated and how he should not be treated. 

There are so many scriptures that speak against fear and almost all are well known. And I believe it’s because Yahweh knew we would be living in a world full of anxious people. Anxiety, panic attacks are one of the most prevalent mental health issues worldwide. Therapy and treatment is important (I fully believe that Yahweh placed doctors here for a reason), when anchored by Yahweh. 

So get therapy, treatment but also get Yahweh because: 

Psalm 56-3,4 – Even when I’m afraid, I still trust you. I praise God’s word. I trust God. I am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 

Do you see it? Even when afraid.  So yes there will be fear. But the steps, the treatment follows: still trust Yahweh. While your heart is racing and your thoughts are fighting you, trust Yahweh. Say it out loud, “Yahweh, I will trust you!!” And repeat. Why out loud? Have you ever noticed when you’re speaking out loud your brain is forced to slow down? Plus it is difficult (granted not impossible) to say one thing out loud and to be thinking something completely different. So start by convincing your mind to trust Yahweh. After a while, it may not happen in one day, but you start to believe it and move in that belief. But then you start praising God and what he has said. Btw, this isn’t happening months after ehhhh. Right after that moment of repeating you will trust Yahweh, start praising him – out loud. Start claiming his promises: he will never leave you. And then lean into trusting him. It’s a cycle. Trust God. Praise God. Trust God. At the beginning, David said, even though I am afraid, I still trust you. He goes through the process and at the end he says, I am not afraid. 

I’m living proof of this. The process works. Thank you Yahweh that I’m alive to tell the story. Thank you for my mind that has been fixed on you. To worship you. Because you never leave me. You are always beside me. You love me and I am so thankful for that. 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 – Blessed is the person who trusts the Lord. The Lord will be his confidence. He will be like a tree that is planted by water. It will send its roots down to a stream. It will not be again in the heat of summer. Its leaves will turn green. It will not be anxious during droughts. It will not stop producing fruit. 

Trusting Yahweh calms your anxiety, pushes away fear. Knowing Yahweh will help you even though the world around you seems to be going wild. He is our anchor. He is a river of living water. It’s not just any type of water we’re sinking our roots into. It’s living water, constantly renewing and regeneration. And that’s what it does to us. It renews our mind, our spirit in him. Daily, hourly, minutely(?). Hallelujah!! Thank you. 

You ever find that the words you know don’t seem to be enough to praise God? 

We need to turn our fear into fear. 

Proverbs 19:23 – The fear of the Lord leads to life, and such a person will rest easy without suffering harm. 

See now, this is the good fear that gets rid of the bad fear.  Recognizing the awesome power, strength and love of Yahweh? You will be in such wonder you don’t even have time to be afraid! (And why am I hungry?!) And I can’t believe I’m about to say this, what would it be like to see earth (well, not the whole earth) from the sky? Without the plane? Because honestly I’m in awe of what I see at ground level. In awe on a plane. But you’re high up. (Helicopters give awesome views too). What would it be like from a hang glider or skydiving? That would be an amazing perspective!! Huh. I’m literally scratching my head (I really was and stopped, laughing at myself), thinking about being scared to skydive an hour ago and actually now excited to do it. FYI, that’s Yahweh. He heals what we don’t hide. Thank you for your grace and your mercy. For your love. For turning my fears into the fear of you. For calming our anxieties, our worries. 

Our mind is a battlefield. Our battles are won first in the mind. Thank you Yahweh. 

Lol. I think I’m crushing just a little on Lecrae. Yes, a guy who loves Yahweh and is not afraid to show it is attractive. I’ve listened (and like) some of his songs: they’re on my playlist. But I think actually hearing him talk about choosing Jesus even if the world makes fun of us, just had me smiling there. (Yes, I do watch the videos on Youversion sometimes).

So. So. So. When I say that Yahweh aligns and confirms. When I say his strategies are beyond what we can even comprehend. I truly don’t choose what he chooses to show me each morning. I allow him to lead. While sketching out the words, I usually listen to music. I just choose the first song and then just let it flow. The song that was on my mind was “Mercy”. I’m alive to tell the story of how I’ve overcome. But the next song that came up: Let me tell you, God is good. New song released 14 hours ago (by YouTube time).

Verse 1: This goes out to the worried. This goes out to the stressed. Sorting out a million thoughts running through your head.  

Verse 2: Sometimes you’re in the desert. Sometimes you feel the pain. Sometimes he calms the storm. Sometimes he lets it rain.

This is why we breathe. Praise the Lord. 

Can you see the synergy? And yes Yahweh makes it personal. He will orchestrate something so completely out of our realm of influence because he wants to guide me, he wants to calm you. And we want to chalk it up to coincidence, let me tell you, there are no coincidences with Yahweh. None. He is everywhere AND in everything. That’s why we have to praise him. That’s why we have to trust him.

Sooooo. I don’t know why surprise was on my mind, but I was kind of thinking that I can hardly wait to be surprised by what Yahweh is doing. And then I remembered another pleasant surprise I had. My car was in the garage, but I was at work. I was considering calling Mom to pick me up and take me there, but guess who showed up?! Jeffers!! I hadn’t called or even talked to ask him. But today I also had to realise that sometimes anxiety and fear can make you forget things. I wonder what else I’m forgetting? Not just talking about him, but generally. Yahweh, thank you for reminding me. 

You know I like learning new things: they can be specific, technical, a technique, anything new that improves my perspective. Today I found out that for a regular non leap year, the year always ends on the same day that it started. It is a completely random fact but I did not know that. I always have to keep my eyes open to learn new things.

Thank you Yahweh. You take the time to reassure, to calm, to remind. Help me to remain connected to you. I know that other connections will come with time, but I will always need you. Thank you for your word in my life. Thank you for loving me. I love you Yahweh.