September 27
Facing the
Fear
"So do not be afraid. I am with you. Do not be terrified. I am your God. I will make you strong and help you. I will hold you safe in my hands. I always do what is right."
Isaiah 41:10 (NIrV)
Kenny stared at the ceiling, his bedroom bathed in the dim glow of the streetlight outside. His jaw throbbed, a dull, pulsing pain that had grown worse with every passing hour. He turned onto his side, then onto his back, then onto his side again. He couldn’t get comfortable—not because of the pain, but because of what awaited him in the morning.
The dentist.
Just the thought made his stomach twist. He had managed to avoid dentists for years, canceling appointments, making excuses, convincing himself that as long as he brushed his teeth, he’d be fine. But now, with a cracked tooth and a pain that wouldn't let up, there was no avoiding it.
He pulled the blanket over his head, as if hiding could make it all go away. He tried praying, but his thoughts raced too fast. What if they have to pull the tooth? What if the drill slips? What if I panic in the chair?
Morning came too soon. Kenny barely touched his breakfast. His wife, Sarah, gave him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "You'll be fine," she said, but she didn’t understand. How could she? She wasn’t the one who had to sit in that chair.
The drive to the clinic felt like a slow march to his doom. He parked outside but didn’t move. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. He could still turn around. He could go home, take some painkillers, and pretend everything was fine.
But deep down, he knew it wasn’t.
Kenny closed his eyes. God, I don’t want to do this. I’m afraid.
A verse he had heard as a child came to mind: "So do not be afraid. I am with you." He inhaled deeply. Maybe—just maybe—God was with him, even here, even now.
He opened the car door and forced himself to walk inside. The antiseptic scent filled his nose. The receptionist smiled at him. The sound of a drill whined from the back, sending a shiver through him.
His legs locked up. He could turn around. He could leave.
But then, another thought came: God is with you.
The nurse called his name. His heart pounded, but he stepped forward.
The chair was cold. The instruments gleamed under the bright light. The dentist adjusted the overhead lamp and spoke gently, “We’ll take good care of you, Kenny.”
He closed his eyes. He breathed in. The fear was still there, but God was, too.
And that was enough.
Prayer:
Dear God,
Fear has a way of paralyzing me, keeping me from stepping forward.
But You promise that I don’t have to be afraid because You are with me.
Help me to trust You, even when my heart races and my thoughts scream at me to run.
Give me strength to face my fears, knowing that You hold me safe in Your hands.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
