When my oldest daughter was about four years old, I left her in the dark. On Sunday nights after everyone left the church, I would turn off all the lights before going to our home behind the church.

My daughter enjoyed following me as I did this, and we would talk about various things as we put the church to sleep.

One night my daughter and I went into the sanctuary to turn the lights off. She stood in front of the pulpit and watched me walk to the front. I turned the lights off and began walking back toward her. After two steps, I heard a frightened voice say, “Daddy, I’m scared. I can’t see.”

I told her not to be afraid and we talked back and forth until I stood beside her and asked her to reach out her hand to me. She clasped her little hand tightly in mine and said, “Oh, now I can see!”

We are all subject to a fear of the unknown. Take comfort with the knowledge that God does know. Sometimes we are that child. We get frightened because of tough choices we must make in the midst of a crisis, we may second guess a decision we have made, or we may anticipate that the worst that can happen will happen. Financial burdens may weigh us down like a ball and chain. Loneliness, depression, anxiety, worries, health problems, disappointments, spiritual matters and, yes, the fear of the personal effects of a looming pandemic can press upon us from all sides. We will feel trapped, afraid, and experience a sense of impending doom. You read the Bible, pray, and worship in search of comfort, but anxiety still diminishes hope. You strain to hear God’s calming voice amongst the storm, but you still feel overwhelmed and fearful. What can you do?

First, remember that God loves you and wants the best for you.

Then, listen to the calming voice of God and spiritually put yourself in His hands. You still must deal with your issues, but knowing that you have yielded your situation to God can strengthen your faith and your confidence.

Also, God expects you to do what you already know to do when faced with an issue. Consider this…predicaments are anxiety provoking situations that are out of our control, like earthquakes, tornadoes and even pandemics. However, problems that arise from predicaments can be resolved. Turn your predicaments over to God and seek His guidance in dealing with the problems that come your way.

It is when God firmly takes us by the hand that we can “see.” When we yield to God’s influence, we find our fears will subside, our thoughts become clearer, our perspective changes and we experience peace. The Bible says in Isaiah 59:1-2 (HCSB) that, “indeed, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, and His ear is not too deaf to hear. But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide His face from you so that He does not listen.” Simply put, our unconfessed sin is a hindrance to our prayers being heard and answered.

Read the Bible and you will learn about God. Pray about everything and you will hear God. Focus on Christ and you will see God at work all around you.