Shortly after receiving my daughter’s diagnosis, I took a trip to the store to buy her baby clothes. In that moment, I had no way of knowing if she would ever need them, but I couldn’t stop myself from preparing for her arrival. I remember thinking that to anyone else I would appear just like any other expectant mother. But I wasn’t. The fear I carried in my heart for my little girl’s safety outweighed the joy of her upcoming arrival. The fear was so big, so massive and consuming that it surely had been tattooed on my forehead. I wondered at how the cashier could calmly ring up my purchases when I was obviously in the middle of a breakdown. 

So many times in our lives we carry this kind of emotional load. Whether it is related to our caregiving, a marriage breakdown, or the loss of employment, we feel the very ground beneath our feet is unsteady. The blessing of being a Christian is that we believe in a God of security–the Rock of Ages that doesn’t shift with the storm.

One diagnosis had became the entry point for fear of the future and I momentarily forgot that I trust in a God that is unchanging. As my family moved forward, we prayed that Romans 15:13 would be a type of life-verse that would remind us what we believed in. We wanted God’s peace and joy in our lives because of the hope we had in Christ. 

None of us are guaranteed an easy path as believer. The good news is that we are not alone in our travails. Our God is with us– molding us, shaping us, refining us so that we reflect his holiness. He is able to comfort us in times of trouble. He is able to replace fear with peace. He is able to give us his strength when we are weak.  He tells his people not to fear because he is there, upholding us with his righteous right hand. The perfect place to be.