“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me (Psalm 23:4)." Is there a more reassuring statement in all Scripture than the one found in David’s words? During his 1933 speech, president Franklin Roosevelt famously said that we “have nothing to fear but fear itself,” and although soothing to a nervous nation at the time, the real truth is that we always find things of which to be afraid. Fear manifests itself in numerous ways: heights, enclosed spaces, snakes, public speaking, falling, darkness, storms, failure, germs, spiders, being laughed at or being by ourselves. Fears surface when we are isolated, separated or apart from others, but there is a big difference between the fear of being lonely or of being alone. Loneliness ("table for one?") is an occasionally overwhelming surge of emotion, emptiness or solitude, defined by the absence of compassion, identity or understanding. You can, on the other hand, through circumstance or choice, choose to be one alone and find it quite enriching, as in spending quiet one-to-one time with God in prayer or Bible study (Psalm 46:1). Do the math and it all adds up. One may well indeed be the loneliest number you ever knew, but being in the presence of The One on a daily basis provides security, hope and a renewed sense of self-worth as His chosen child (1 Samuel 12:22). And in that family, you are never nor will ever be, one alone.
With GOD we are always in the majority, never alone and have already won. Oh, the battles will be there as well as the fear, but that's only because we've allowed it creep in or touch our unnourished nerve. Zig used to say that FEAR is simply an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. Fear is nothing, virtually non-existent, if we match it up to GOD. His Word tells us to Fear Not. Will you trust and obey Him today?!
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