An Antidote for Fear

 

“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”

—Psalm 59:16

Have you ever watched a cartoon character in a scary situation to see what they would do? Some, like our friend Scooby-Doo, jump into someone’s arms. Others begin to whistle softly or even sing softly to bolster their courage and fight back against the fear.

Singing is a very powerful force against evil—not just in cartoons. In fact, research has shown that people who sing may well have a much more stress-free life than those who don’t.

Years ago on Chautauqua Lake in western New York State, I got caught in a storm. I was in a small boat powered by a relatively low horsepower outboard engine. While traveling back to our rented cottage from the Chautauqua Institution, late a night after a concert performance in the amphitheater, lightning flashed, thunder boomed, and a very heavy rain began to fall.

I was terrified!

I could barely see through the rain. Even the lights on the near shore were significantly dimmed by the heavy falling rain.

In my fright, I began to sing. I sang at the top of my lungs. I sang every hymn and gospel song that I could remember. After nearly an hour, I reached the dock at our rented cottage: safe—safe at last! There is no doubt that my singing helped dispel my fear and strengthen my courage.

In times of trouble and fear, the Psalmist also turned to song. He memorialized that practice when he wrote these words recorded in Psalm 59:16:

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

By praising God in song, the Psalmist recalled from his own memory those times when God’s divine Presence made his failing courage turn around. That’s a good lesson for us, as we begin another day.

Even if we don’t really consider ourselves a singer, we can certainly sing when we’re alone. We can remember those times when God was the very present help in times of trouble, as the Psalmist celebrates in Psalm 46:1.

Let’s do that today. Let’s praise God for His Presence in our lives. It is part of our testimony—highlighting God’s mercy, grace, and love—that we must share with those we encounter during our walk along the pathway of life this day.

 

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