I was awakened from sleep one night by the shrill sound of a woman’s screams… or at least so I thought. My heart was racing as I immediately raised up out of bed, responding with a fearful panic to the sound I had heard. Fear-filled thoughts entered my mind as I sat on the edge of my bed and listened again to hear where the scream was coming from. But I heard nothing… not another sound. The fear subsided, and my heart got back to a regular rhythm.
Being assured in my mind that all was okay, I laid my head back on my pillow wondering what the sound might have been. I was just about to doze back off to sleep, and that’s when I heard it again… it was clear and distinct… it was an irritating “nose whistle” (you know, one of those “whistles” that develops in your nasal cavity that lets off a high pitched whistling sound as you breathe). And to think, fear had “told me” that someone was screaming because something terrible was happening… and I believed it, to the point that my heart was pounding out of my chest, all because of a tiny obstruction in my nose! Now that’s sad (but somewhat funny).
It’s important to remember this about fear: it will take something relatively small and insignificant and blow it totally out of proportion. It will tell you that the “cold bug” you have is really pneumonia. It will tell you that the pimple on your neck is a malignant tumor. It will tell you that your lack of funds to pay your utility bill this month is the onset of bankruptcy. It will tell you that forgetting where you put your keys is the first stage of dementia. Yes, it will even tell you that the irritating whistle in your nose is the fearful sound of a woman’s scream. Don’t entertain fear for a second… it’s a liar!
Isaiah 41:10 – Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
