faith and family
Vicki Rutledge
Faith over Fear
Although our leaves are not changing colors (Florida!), there are enough pumpkins and candy corn around now to remind us that it is fall! This is our family’s favorite season and we cherish every weekend spent outdoors. However, one thing that we are not particularly fans of is the focus on the “scary” parts of Halloween. We have never emphasized that part of the holiday, but it turns out that our daughter is still especially spooked when she sees “scary” Halloween decorations. Naturally, this has led to some issues around bedtime. “My room is spooky.” “There is a scary monster in my room!” ”Sit with me…I am afraid!” are just a few of our recent bedtime conversations. Knowing that adult reasoning alone will not convince her that there are no such things as “monsters” or “ghosts,” we are using this as an opportunity to teach her what the scriptures say about faith over fear.
Faith and fear are opposite sides of the same coin: faith is a trust and belief in what God says, even though we may not have physical confirmation; fear is a trust and belief in the bad things that others or we have said to our self, also without physical confirmation. Throughout their lives, our children will face many fears. How wonderful that we can begin to empower our children with the truth of God’s word about exercising their faith and commanding their fears to leave! Below are some great Bible verses for helping to establish God’s Word as truth in our children’s lives (faith) and dispelling the fears.
“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.” – Isaiah 41:10
"For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” – Isaiah 41:13
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid." (Hebrews 13:6)
"For God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind." - 2 Timothy 1:7
When we trust God and His Word more than we fear the world, we show Him honor and love. In other words, we will be given everything we need in Him! What better heritage to begin to build in our children’s lives than to teach them to exercise and assert their Faith (in what God has said) over their Fears (in what anyone other than God has said). We not only ensure less sleepless nights as children, we empower them for their future!
Chandy Kelley, Faith and Family Coordinator