When I was a preteen I saw the movie Dracula at a relative’s house. It was one of the old classic black and whites and it truly made an impression on my life. For the months that followed if I had a nightmare it was about that movie. That eventually subsided then came the blockbuster hit “Jaws”. My older brother and I went to see it, needless to saw growing up on Long Island and seeing a film that was filmed off the tip of the island it scared me a bit. After that night every time I went to one of the islands beaches I was alert and aware. In addition the nightmares came and went. Something changed though when I was a teenager, I was convinced I could watch any slasher movie and it would no longer affect me. I could handle it, was my thought pattern. Needless to say those twisted and distorted films did have an effect on me. Then one day while laying in bed this revelation came to mind. I could either live in fear or live by faith. The revelation was simply that God was with me, that he loved me, and that he was involved. The psalmist said “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4) For so long I had accepted fear, even though it caused me at times not to do things, and even overwhelmed my life at times. Yet, when I acknowledged God in my life, and dedicated myself to know Him he gave me clarity and freedom; freedom from fear and freedom to live by faith. I no longer struggle with the nightmares of old; I credit it to Gods influence in my life. I do filter things a bit more as I have gotten older, the motto “garbage in, and garbage out rings a bell”. Since those days I have learned to give my fears to the Lord, release them, let them go, by doing so I learn to rest in him and live by faith.
When fear comes in like a flood, Father help me to turn to you, help my thought life not to be encamped in the uncertainty and chaos of life. As I do so remove any uncertainty and replace it with your peace. My heart turns to worship, adoration, and praise.
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