Devotionals for the Heart: What to do when you're afraid of the dark

Monsters in the Dark
A devotional by Colleen Howard

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”—Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)

When you were a child, were you ever afraid of monsters?

Do you remember being alone in your bedroom? The room is dark, and you’re starting to drift off when suddenly your eyes open wide, and you see a shadow on the wall.

You hold your breath, and just as you start to exhale, you hear a noise. By now, you’re building a blanket fortress for protection, and then, “Bam!” Fear grips your five-year-old heart. You let out a scream, and in an instant, light floods the room. It’s Mom and Dad to the rescue. They assure you the monsters are gone. While safe beneath the covers, you finally drift off to sleep.

Let’s face it: Many of us still have our monsters, but like us, they’ve grown up too. They’re not as easy to recognize as a shadow on the wall of a dimly lit room. But don’t fool yourself, these determined monsters are alive and invading in the corners of your mind. The CEO of Monsters Incorporated is none other than the enemy (Satan) himself, and these ugly, evil creatures are his favorite weapons.

Our grown-up monsters have a new look and new names: discouragement, grief, temptation, sorrow, anxiety, disappointment, addiction, and worthlessness. Like an invasive species, they worm their way through the cracks of your armor and attack your soul. Before you know it, you’re trapped. If stuck too long, you risk slipping into the abyss where you’ll find yourself surrounded by darkness, on a treadmill of futility, constantly moving but going nowhere.

It’s a scary, uncomfortable, lonely place to reside. I’ve been a visitor there and most likely you have too. But the good news is, we don’t have to change our address to Monster Avenue. We have a choice, and we have our Savior (Jesus Christ) who can’t wait to rescue us. I know what you’re thinking. These are easy things to say when your season of monster-sized trials has passed. But difficult challenges are part of life on this planet, and no one is immune.

Our brains are hardwired to look for patterns and will always take the path of least resistance. Your fears, feelings of disappointment, or worthlessness take up residence and become impossible to evict. However, you have the option to take a different path. Like the fight-or-flight response when faced with a threat, you can choose to make a run for it, battle by yourself, or cry out to God for protection. The journey will not be easy, but He will see you through it.

From deep within your soul, call out to Jesus. Give Him your fears and ask Him to destroy this vicious villain. No matter how scary the monsters are, God is a faithful parent. His lantern of truth obliterates the darkness. He will never let anyone snatch you from His grip. Reach out and take hold of the righteous right hand of God the Father. He will see you through the night.

Let’s Pray: Dear Jesus, we come before you with grateful hearts. You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-control. Your righteous, right hand upholds us when we are weary. You are the anchor of our souls and we place our hope in you. Help us to focus on You as we face our monsters today. Thanks be to God! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Fear is a Liar” by Zach Williams. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Colleen C. Howard is a Jesus follower, wife, mom, mimi, educator and author. 

She lives with her husband in the beautiful Arizona desert where the sunsets are spectacular, the summers are hot, and the winters are a little slice of heaven. Her two adult children and their families live nearby. She considers it a joy to spend time with her family members!

She is a lifelong educator and co-founder of an educational professional development business. After spending her professional life in education, Colleen retired as the STEM Specialist for a large public school district. As she approached the end of that season, God placed a strong desire in Colleen’s heart to shine a light on God’s presence throughout ordinary days and encourage women in their faith-walk with Jesus Christ.

When asked what makes her faith walk real, Colleen replied, “It isn’t just one thing, but a million little things. Although some days bring trials and others bring joy, it’s never just another day.” She says when you give your heart to Jesus, each new day is another opportunity to walk hand-in-hand with Him and begin to know the heart of God. As you become more aware of His presence, stop, take a breath, and watch what God will do.

Colleen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Arizona State University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University.

She has been published online via these websites: Inkspirations, Her View From Home, and Inside Out Worldwide.

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Connect with Colleen:
Website: http://colleenchoward.com