FEAR: The Paper Tiger

Like many, I’ve wrestled with fears such as: What if I trust God and He doesn’t come through? What if I pray and nothing changes? What if I step out and fall flat?

For a long time, I didn’t know how to move past the “what ifs.” But one day in prayer, I imagined setting that heavy bag of fear beside me, just for a moment, so I could talk to God without holding it. Instantly, I felt relief. That’s when I realized: I had the power to put it down! The fear wasn’t controlling me; I was carrying it.

When I set it aside, even briefly, I tasted the “easy and light” life Jesus promised. Nothing in my situation changed, but I changed because I stopped gripping the fear. What once roared like a tiger turned out to be only paper, flimsy compared to God’s presence and peace.

This is Jesus’ daily invitation: not to deny fear, but to stop carrying it as if it’s truth. To inhale deeply. To pray without bracing for disappointment. To trust without rehearsing worst-case scenarios. To live unencumbered, even before anything changes.

Fear may be real, but it’s a paper tiger, and you really can choose whether or not to carry it.

“Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Question: If you could set down just one weight today, what would it be? If you are comfortable sharing, I’d love to pray for you!