When I Am Afraid

“Giiiiiiiiii gi!” 

My two-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter’s frightened cry pierced the happy quiet of my backyard. 

Moments before, she’d been playing peacefully. Now she was racing toward me, her eyes wide with fear. Kneeling down, I opened my arms, and she flung herself into them, her breath coming in short, hard gasps. 

“What’s wrong, baby girl?” I asked, looking around for a big dog or a scary snake. 

“Airplane,” she said, pointing to the sky. 

Sure enough, there was a jet, high in the sky, making its noisy ascent from the nearby airport. 

“That airplane won’t hurt you,” I said, wrapping my arms around her trembling little body, “but you did good to come to Gigi. Gigi will always protect you.” 

This morning in my quiet time I read Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” 

It reminded me of the way Lauren ran to me when the airplane frightened her. Because she’s learned to trust me, she instinctively knew I would protect her. Her child-like faith rested securely in me. 

I want to be like Lauren when big, scary things disrupt my life and make me afraid. Only instead of running to a person for protection, I want to run straight into the loving arms of my heavenly Father. I know I can trust him, because he’s demonstrated over and over again how much he loves me. 

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). 

I love Lauren, and I would die to save her. God loves me even more, and he already died to save me. What further proof do I need that I can trust him with whatever comes my way? 

Although 50 years separate Lauren and me, we’re a lot alike. We are both frightened easily, but we also both know where to run for safety. 

What about you? Is something big and scary threatening you today? Run to Jesus.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher