The first time I held my new baby in my arms I did not think to myself, “I am going to worry and be anxious about every part of your life until the day I die”. Yet somehow that parental fear and anxiety seemed to come as part of the package.
In many ways I really believe that mom anxiety and fear is normal. Of course there are times that it gets out of control and I’m not seeking to normalize that at all. What I mean though is that it is normal to worry and fret over people that you deeply love. And what is a mother’s love if not profoundly deep.
It’s those times when the fear seems impossible to overcome that are a problem. Your worry for your child or any family member should not be so great that it is impacting your daily life. And please know sweet Mama that God does not want you to live in that kind of fear and anxiety.
What Is The Root Of Fear?
So why does this happen?
Why do we have this emotion of fear?
What is the deal with the anxious thoughts?
Looking at God’s word we learn that the root cause of fear is doubt or a lack of faith.
In Matthew 14:25-31 the word of God tells us about the disciples, specifically Peter, doubting and the fear it causes. As soon as Peter began to doubt he was filled with fear and began to sink.
But there is also good news in these Bible verses!
Notice that when Peter was focused on Christ Jesus he was able to walk on water. When his focus was in the right place he was not doubting or fearful.
Also see that when Peter began to sink he called out to Jesus and the text says that “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.” I take comfort in know that when I have an anxious heart and I’m filled with fear and worry I can call out to my Heavenly Father and immediately he will reach out his hand and catch me.
Fear Instead Of Trust
I am a chronic worrier. I always have been and I have even been diagnosed with clinical anxiety. I joke that I am a professional worrier but the way it has impacted my life has been no joke at all.
Recently a friend shared with me something she was told as a young mom. When she was worrying and concerned about a situation with her son a mentor told her, “You do not get to pick and choose when you trust God. Either you trust Him and believe in Him or you don’t.”
To be honest I am not sure that those are the words I would choose if I were confronting a mom who is clearly struggling. But at the same time it was those words, like a punch in the gut, that forced me to take a step back from my worry and do some serious thinking about my beliefs about God.
Do I believe God is only good when things in my life are good? Do I really trust God to pull me through the fear and anxiety that is at times crippling? I don’t mean do I just say that I trust God but do I really and truly mean it. If someone else were peeking in on my life in these moments would they walk away believing that I am a woman who trusts God?
The answers to those questions were not pretty. Maybe you can relate.
That is what had me taking a closer look at what the Bible says about fear and how I could overcome my fear biblically.
How To Overcome Fear Biblically
Let’s take a look at three ways we can overcome fear biblically.
These biblical truths are your first step to ditching the mom anxiety, the spirit of fear, and fully trusting in God’s love and God’s promises.
Trust In God
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
Psalms 56:3-4
Seek The Peace Of God
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27
Pray To God
I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
Psalms 34:4
What Does Jesus Say About Fear?
We cannot control a lot of things that we fear. As moms we may be fearful about everything from our child’s academic success and hitting milestones to natural disasters and terrorist attacks.
Maybe you have a fear of failure. I know that I do.
I fear that my children will need therapy to recover from all the mistakes I will inevitably make. I have fears about their development, their happiness, how and what they are learning, and honestly so much more. This barely seems to scratch the surface for the things that I fear for and about my children.
These fearful situations can feel never ending in motherhood.
In Isaiah 41:10 Jesus shows us the perfect love He has for us when He says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Jesus tells us not to fear.
Trust In God
The opposite of fear is trust.
Trust in God that He gave you these kids for a reason and purpose greater than you can understand.
Not only can you trust that God made you their mother on purpose but he chose this specific time, these specific circumstances, and gave you these specific resources.
We may not be able to control the things that we fear but God can control them.
Why Does God Tell Us Not To Fear?
Jesus tells us not to fear because He is with us and He will help us.
No matter how much fear I have. No matter how many bad things are running through my mind. Jesus will be with me.
I like to remind myself that Jesus walked this earth as a man and He knows fear greater than I could ever know. When I am in a worry spiral on any number of mom topics I try to stop and tell myself that God knows exactly how I feel. Even if I cannot put the feelings into words and even when the fears are so tender that speaking them aloud is unbearable. God knows. God is intimately aware of my fears and I am not alone in them.
In Hebrews 13:5 God’s word says that He will never you and never forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6 says that you should not be afraid because the Lord your God goes with you and he will never leave or forsake you.
We may never understand God’s ways but we can understand the perfect peace He is trying to offer us by walking us through life and motherhood. The presence of God is with you always.
We are never alone.
Seek The Peace Of God
Remember that the opposite of faith is fear, sometimes uncontrolled fear. But we see here in scripture that the angel of the Lord will be with us on a daily basis. The power of the Holy Spirit will never forsake you in any part of life including motherhood.
Peace comes from the belief and assurance that God is always in control.
How Can We Overcome Fear According To The Bible?
To overcome fear biblically is to surrender your fear of man to fear of the Lord.
I discuss in this article the two types of fear that you encounter when you are reading the Bible.
"The first is fear of earthly troubles or a spirit of fear. The second is fear of the Lord. Fear of the Lord does not mean being scared of God. Instead a fear of the Lord means that you have a great respect or reverence for Him. I think that Proverbs explains a fear of the Lord very beautifully."
I love the verse in Philippians 4:6-7 that says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Pray To God
Just like when Peter called out to God in his fear the right thing for us to do when we have fears is to pray.
There is never a bad time or a wrong way to pray.
Prayer is one of the best ways to overcome our fear, grow in our love of God, and ultimately let the strength of God carry us.
"There is no need to use fancy or eloquent speech when you are praying. If I were to describe my prayers to you I would say that I speak to God in much the way that I speak to a friend. There are times when I come to God laughing and times that I come in tears."
Overcome Fear Biblically With Trust
You can trust God in your motherhood.
The same God who knows the number of the very hairs of your head made you a mother for a reason.
I pray that these biblical keys of trust have helped you to lean more on the things God wants for you, a relationship with Him, and less on the spiritual warfare that is at odds with your happiness.
We are never promised that this life will be easy. As a mom you know that every day is rich with a new set of challenges. But we are promised this simple answer; God with us.
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