Trusting Versus Fear

By Rodney Holmstrom, National Field Director 

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2

Have you ever seen the movie “Castaway”?

There is a scene where the main character is stranded on an island all by himself for four-plus years. His time on this island was one of misery and loneliness. His biggest goal was to eventually get off this island that had caused so much harm to his life. He was finally able to build a raft and, after many attempts, was able to escape the grips of the huge waves crashing down on and around him.

After escaping the island, there was a moment when he looked back with grief. You could see in his face extensive agony and pain as he saw the island drift away from his view. From the outside looking in, one might conclude that this man was out of his mind. How can he be grieving the separation from something so ugly and heartbreaking in his life? The reality is, although this place was difficult, it was also familiar and predictable.

Isaiah 12:2 reads, “I will trust and not be afraid.” From this, we find two choices we all have in the midst of difficult times.

One, I can walk into the space of trusting God, which requires humility and faith, or two, I can walk into the space of being afraid. While it seems odd for me to even consider the possibility of walking into that space of fear, my false sense of being in control can keep me stuck there. Walking in trust does not mean we don’t experience fear, anxiety, or pain. We are human. Instead, it just means in our pain, we lean in and trust the one who can help us face it with confidence, courage, and strength.

To walk into the space of trusting God and His will is to walk in humility, trusting Him every step of the process. We may not know where things will end up in the space of trust, but we can have confidence that God will be with us every step of the way, fighting for us as our defender on every front.

If you doubt God’s ability to rescue you in your broken space, hold onto this reminder from Isaiah, “Surely God is your salvation.” He is the author and source of every ounce of strength we will need to face the trials in our life. Clinging to this truth can help us decide to bring our fears to Him and trust Him with the healing process as He holds us through every step of the way.