The Right Response to Fear

Scripture Focus:
“Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed… And Jacob said, O God of my father
Abraham… deliver me, I pray You, from the hand of my brother…” Genesis 32:7, 9, 11
Jacob was afraid, deeply afraid. Even after encountering angels in verses 1 and 2, fear still
gripped him. And here lies a powerful truth: being afraid does not mean you’ve stopped
believing in God. You can carry an anointing and still feel anxiety. You can hear from God and
still feel vulnerable.
What matters is what you do with that fear. Jacob didn’t suppress it or pretend to be strong, he
took it to God in prayer. But before he prayed, he began to scheme. He divided his camp, sent
gifts to Esau, and tried every strategy he could think of. The gifts weren’t necessarily evil, but
they were fear-driven. And in the end, after all the distress, Esau did not attack him, he
embraced him. What Jacob feared never happened. And that’s often the case: Fear is False
Evidence Appearing Real. If only we could see what God has already settled, we wouldn’t be
panicking in the present.
Let fear be your cue to run to God, not your trigger to manipulate people or outcomes. Pray first.
Trust God’s promises. Do not let fear make your decisions, let it drive you to your knees.
Prayer:
Lord, when fear rises in my heart, help me turn to You before I turn to strategies. Teach me to
trust, not manipulate. Amen.
Further Reading: Psalm 56:3