10 things you can do to not be afraid …

Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known and popular passages of scripture in the Bible, specifically verse four, which reads like this from the New American Standard version:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

This passage of scripture is so well-liked because, for most of us, it’s an idea we’d like to attain but haven’t yet. The very idea of facing such things in life as “the valley of the shadow of death” and not be afraid of of some looming evil is a courage most of us would like to experience.

Instead, many of us are afraid.

Some of us are racked with fear.

So how can we know this overt courage, how can we live without being afraid all the time, or at least so often?

Here are 10 things you can do to not be afraid:

1. Trust God. At any time, and in any circumstance in which you’re tempted to be afraid, decide instead to trust God. That’s what the psalmist did, as we see recorded in Psalm 118:6, “The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” If you work out that question, the worst someone could do to you is take your life, but if you belong to Jesus Christ, that’s not a ruinous defeat! The Apostle Paul would write, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better,” Philippians 1:21. If you read further in Philippians 1, Paul reasoned to live is opportunity to serve others on behalf of Christ, but if his life ended he would forever be with Jesus. So trusting God purges fear because there really are no circumstances you cannot walk through with the Lord, for He is for you!

2. Commune with God. When you’re tempted to be afraid, instead actively engage in communing with God. That can mean instead of flooding your mind with fearful thoughts, spend time talking with God and listening to Him by immersing yourself in reading the scriptures. Engage in worship, adoring God for who He is, what He has done, and what He promises to do in the future. By communing with the One who is all-powerful, all-knowing, who IS love, you find yourself in fellowship with One who is greater than anyone or anything that could possibly stir fear in you.

3. Change your thinking. Most of our fears never become reality but are, instead, creations of faulty thinking. By eliminating habits of cognitive distortions and untwisting irrational patterns of thinking so you think rationally, you’ll wipe out many of the thoughts that would otherwise foster feelings of fear.

4. Change your self-talk. It’s not just a constant flow of subconscious thoughts that make us afraid, it’s specifically the conscious self-talk we engage in that rob of us courage by entertaining every possible thing that could go wrong or acting out in our minds only the “worst case scenario.” Changing your self-talk to thoughts that are rational and guided by faith can help quench feelings of fear.

5. Learn to be more consistently self-aware. Most of us live our lives not consciously aware of the vast flow of thoughts surging through our minds. Put another away, as much as 95 percent of our thinking is done at a subconscious level. The more subconscious our thinking, the likely it is to be irrational. By learning to be more consistently self-aware, you are able to more consistently direct your thinking in ways that foster courage rather than fear.

6. Learn to journal. By developing a habit of writing out your thoughts, you recruit paper and pen (or favorite electronic device) as an additional tool to work through your thoughts and emotions and give them greater scrutiny and direction. You can learn to use your journaling to help you better identify irrational or faulty thinking and then redirect your thoughts as needed.

7. Manage inputs. The information, ideas, and influences you allow into your thoughts and emotions directly impact your ability to be courageous or prone to be afraid. By managing those inputs — like reducing your intake of the news, limiting interaction or influence of more melodramatic people, etc. — you can reduce temptations to be afraid.

8. Connect with supportive relationships. Having spiritually mature friends who will listen to you and are willing to walk with you through tough, trying, or “scary” times helps to drain the fear from those experiences. Their love provokes a greater peace and courage as love helps to cast out fear.

9. Overcome the physical symptoms. The more you allow fear to gain a foothold in your life to the point you’re demonstrating physical symptoms, the more you will be dominated by your fears. Symptoms of fear, like shallow breathing, tense muscles, etc. make us “feel” afraid, which only makes us more frightened! When feeling the temptation to be afraid, choose to do things like practice deep-breathing exercises, and getting physical exercise will help relax your muscles and your mind. It is almost impossible to feel afraid when you are physically relaxed and at ease.

10. Stay well-rested. The more sleep-deprived and unrested you are, the more prone you are to the kind of thoughts and self-talk that fosters fear. Consistently getting the sleep you need and adequate rest will help you keep a clear mind and sharp thinking that is less inclined toward the irrational.

Over and over again in the Bible, God tells us to not be afraid. You don’t have to be! If you have an old habit of letting fear drive your life, you can change that. The question is, will you?

Scotty