“Trust The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6
 
Fear is an emotion; it is innate. While it’s natural to fear death, most people do until they trust the truth about eternal life. Some aren’t afraid of deep water (though I’ve been told most people are), some are afraid of heights, and some aren’t. Some people love snakes and bugs, and some have nightmares when the new National Geographic Magazine arrives. Though our fears and the intensity of our reactions to them vary, we all experience some form of fear. Some don’t fear things but have anxiety about failure, while others have cardiac issues over being alone due to fear.
 
Because fear is an emotion, not simply a thought or opinion, reason and logic won’t solve the issue of fear. We can’t reason our way out of most fears.
 
Proverbs 3:5-6 speaks of the way out of fear: through faith. "Trust" is a decision to put our concerns in God’s hands. “With all our hearts” is a full commitment to trust.  Jesus said, “All things are possible if we only believe.” Mark 9:23 To “Only believe” means there is no unbelief.  “Lean not on your own understanding” is talking about our reasoning and logic; remember, fear is neither, it is an emotion. So, leaning on our understanding is futile when fighting fear. “In all your ways submit to Him…”  The plans, the offenses, the people, all the things that are causing us to be afraid, give them to The Lord. Cause your mind to focus on The Lord as your answer. “…and he will make your paths straight.”  A straight path is shorter than a curvy one; it is also the easiest. You can see further down the path when it is straight – The Lord wants to make your way easier and more enjoyable. 
 
Joy and peace can begin and remain in our lives when we trust The Lord with all the things we’re afraid will happen. Remember when Peter got out of the boat and started walking to Jesus? When he focused on Jesus, he defied physics; he walked on the water. When he noticed the storm and the high waves, he sank. Jesus didn’t let him drown; he didn’t let him sink to the bottom – Jesus grabbed him and brought him to safety. Jesus will always be standing beside you when you get out of the boat in faith, and he will never let you fail or allow your worst fears to conquer you.
 
“Trust The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6