Saturday, May 7, 2016

Freedom from Fear

Elisa & Her Family
Fear is powerful. overwhelming. debilitating. It's a feeling that seems to get under your skin and not want to leave. Elisa is 12 years old and knows all too well what fear feels like. She's had some hard times with her family and spent a year living in a children's home before being reunited with her mom.

Sometimes Elisa couldn't sleep because she was thinking about past hurts. She had nightmares, too. But earlier this month, Elisa told her Christian counselor that she didn't want to live in fear anymore--she wanted to be free. Elisa had heard Darlene, her family's Back2Back caseworker, tell her about how Jesus could free her from that fear many times during weekly devotions, but that day, it became real to her.

Elisa told her counselor she didn't want to try to make the fear go away by herself anymore--she knew that didn't work. Instead, she wanted to invite Jesus into her fear, knowing that he and he alone could set her free. Elisa asked Jesus to be her Savior that day, believing deep in her heart that he is. Now, Elisa knows that she is not alone. She knows that she is protected. She knows that her God is so much bigger than any of her fears, that she can tell him about what scares her any time, and that he will always protect and comfort her.
Elisa with Friends at Elementary School Graduation

Elisa's fear doesn't hold power over her anymore because she knows that her God is so much bigger. She doesn't have trouble sleeping anymore, and her nightmares are gone. Praise the LORD who calms the fears of children and who promises to free us from ours, as well. To him be all of the power and the glory and the honor forever and ever. Amen.