When I Am Afraid: Courage to Get Through Today

By Jesse Lege

This book is first of all a source of encouragement to get you through the everyday struggles that confront all of us. But it will also bring you a sense of comfort and peace as you begin to see yourself as a child of God, and realize how your Heavenly Father sees you. It will challenge you to be more like Him, the person that you were created to be. It will pull you out of a pit and set your feet on the solid ground of His Word.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9781664298569

Jesse Lege

As a Christian for over 40 years, he and his wife attended Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa Oklahoma in 1981-1982. Since then he has served at several churches as a deacon and on the board of elders, along with being part of the worship team, working in kids ministry, acting as small group Bible study leader, leading the parking team, and being a part of the altar prayer ministry team. Many of these positions he is currently active in today. He and his wife, celebrating over 41 years of marriage, are also the parents of five children and now have fourteen grandchildren.

Book preview

Day 1

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When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalms 56:3 NIV

It doesn’t matter who you are, there will be times in your life when you are afraid. This verse was spoken by David. You know the giant killer….the fearless one. Yes, he too was afraid. But he knew where to turn, Who to run to.

This is a verse that gives me great hope. The Bible not only shows us the mighty ones and their mighty works, but also their great failures and the fear that gripped them. When that fear comes and tries to take control of your thoughts and actions, you have the Creator of the universe, your Heavenly Father, Who is right there with you, just waiting for you to turn your eyes to Him.

Over and over again He says to us, Do not be afraid ! He knows how easy it is for us to fall into fear. But He also reminds us, For I am with you !

Day 2

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casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. 1 Peter 5:7 AMP

This is a great verse to read. But it can be so very, very hard to do. We sometimes make an attempt to give Him our problems and then proceed with our plans for how to fix it. Other times we give everything into God’s hands. At least until He isn’t fixing it the way we want Him to. And then we jump back into action and strap all the weights on ourselves once again.

If only God would take all my suggestions and ideas to fix it. But if my suggestions and ideas would work, I guess I would already have it fixed myself. I can do it myself has been heard by every parent of a little child, as they watch that child struggle with things that they were never meant to handle alone.

Our Heavenly Father saw our problems long before they ever showed up in our lives. And He had the solution to our problems long before they ever showed up in our lives. So we need to trust Him. Knowing that He is that loving and caring Father that patiently waits for us to fully give Him those problems whether they were caused by our own actions or by someone else. That doesn’t matter! He is the fixer, the Redeemer!

Today, bring Him all the baggage and leave it with Him! And watch what He can do with it!

Day 3

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Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. Proverbs 12:25 NIV

Anxiety will tell you that your enemy and his plans for you is what controls your future. That could not be further from the truth. Your enemy does not have the ability or power to touch the next second or any part of your future. But he uses his weapon of deception to see who will follow.

Here’s where you come into the picture. You, speaking a kind word, can destroy the myth that someone has believed. Because kindness is part of God’s character, when you speak kind words, you bring truth, and life, and hope, and freedom to people.

Isn’t it nice to know that with just a kind word you can change someone’s heart and cheer them up.

Day 4

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As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 NIV

You know there are some verses that are just hard for us to sometimes carry out.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44 NIV

It would be so much easier if God just kept our enemies away from us, not to mention those who would persecute us. But how do those people affect us? They definitely cause a reaction within us. Do they sharpen us for good use, to become more like Jesus? Or does the grating of their character bring out the worst in us?

There are people who desperately need to see God’s kindness to them because they have never had it offered to them. And just maybe God placed you in their life to offer it to them, to sharpen them so that they too can be used in God’s Kingdom!

Day 5

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"I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20 AMP

To say this verse, I have been crucified with Christ , seems very different for us. To picture ourselves hanging on a wooden cross with spikes through our hands and feet is a hard thing for us to handle. But Jesus actually took the sin part of us with Him on that cross. And it was put to death with Him. Your sin was held up to the law, found guilty, sentenced to death, and was crucified.

So now where does that leave us? If we identify with Christ in His crucifixion, we are able to identify with Him in His resurrection and life and say, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

And now since your sin is dead and buried, don’t dig it back up to put dead things on you. Live in the freedom that was purchased for you. It was bought by someone who loves you enough to die for you, so you know you can trust Him.

Day 6

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So here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord, and measureless grace will strengthen you. Psalms 55:22 TPT

So often we have those cares and anxieties, and a lot of the time they are caused by bad decisions that we have made. It doesn’t matter if it is our own fault or just the troubles that this world brings, if we will just bring them to the Lord and exchange them for IMMEASUREABLE GRACE! Talk about Good News!

I bring Him my burdens and He gives me more grace than I can carry! In that is great strength!

Day 7

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Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 NIV

How do you describe peace? Most people think of it as the place where nothing is going wrong. A gentle breeze blowing through a grassy meadow with beautiful wildflowers swaying back and forth. If that is what peace is, then it is not available to the vast majority of people.

The peace that Jesus gives to us was displayed by Him as He was asleep in a boat that was being rocked by a violent storm. Waves were crashing against that boat as the rest of the riders despaired for their lives. Yet all of them were in the exact same situation.

We all experience that feeling in our lives when the boat that we are riding in is in very turbulent waters. But that is the time when we desperately need His peace. And that is the time that He graciously offers us His peace.

When Jesus got up and spoke to the wind and the waves and said, Peace. Be still ! He was also speaking those words to His disciples. And He lovingly speaks those same words to us today. Peace. Be still!

Day 8

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Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29 NIV

Jesus makes a promise to us in this verse. I will give you rest! He gives us what He has. He gives us His peace when trouble surrounds us. He gives us His rest when we are tired and worn out. And this rest is not found in doing nothing. No, He says to take His yoke and put it on. They put the yoke on the two oxen to do work. With Christ as your partner in the yoke, He carries the burdens so we don’t have to. He guides in the right direction so we get to come alongside. He teaches us how to rest in His peace while we are doing His work. And doing everything in gentleness and humility keeps you in that place where you are not constantly striving, but rather gives you that rest even while you are working side by side with Him.

He truly is the only one who can give you the rest that you need!

Day 9

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I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalms 119:11 NIV

We hide things that are very valuable to us. Things that we don’t want to take a chance of losing, we put in special places. If we take God’s Word and put it in our hearts, then it will guard us on everything that we do.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 NIV

The other really good thing about hiding His Word in our hearts, is when we mess things up, His Word tells us about His unending mercy, which we all need every day

Day 10

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Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV

You always have that choice of doing something kind for someone to pick them up and make them feel better. Or you can be cruel to them to make them feel worse. And most people would automatically say that looking at it that way, of course they would be kind. Normally if you are the initiator of the communication this is easier. But what happens when you begin as the recipient of something cruel? So you no longer act, but you react to the situation.

What if you didn’t react to the situation? What if you went into every situation with a plan to give out mercy, grace, and forgiveness? The person that you encounter may need your forgiveness after they act out towards you. But if you have that plan in place already, then you can continue to be in control of your actions. You can continue to walk in love, and kindness. And most of all, you can continue to walk in peace.

Don’t let go of your peace when a bad situation comes up. Your enemy wants to steal it. But Jesus gave it to you, and it belongs to you!

Day 11

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Serve the Lord with gladness and delight; Come before His presence with joyful singing. Psalms 100:2 AMP

You may wonder how you can serve the Lord?

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, Colossians 3:23 NIV

Working at your job? Yes. Changing your baby’s (or your little brothers) diaper? Yes. Cutting the grass? Yes. This verse says whatever you do . If we did every job as service to the Lord, how much better would we do it? And if we considered it that way, could we do even the worst of jobs with gladness and delight?

So when you have finished your job that you did with all your heart for the Lord, you can come into His presence with joyful singing!

Day 12

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If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 NIV

What comes out of your mouth says a lot about you. It tells what you believe in your heart. And there is a very important part of this that we sometimes miss. God raised Jesus from the dead. JESUS WAS DEAD! Think about it for just a minute. The Son of God was DEAD! He was dead because of me. And He was dead because of you. He took our sins on His own body. And at that moment, our sin on His body, caused that separation between Jesus and the Father. And being separated from life, brought death.

Jesus did all of that for you and for me. He took our shame, our guilt, our punishment, our separation from God, and the judgement for all of it, which was death. But it wasn’t over yet. As our debt was paid in full, the Father raised Jesus back to life. Now, the free gift of eternal life is available to all who will believe what He did.

I will declare with my mouth that Jesus is Lord because I absolutely believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead! Will you do the same?

Day 13

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I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Psalms 91:2 NIV

We say a lot of things throughout our day. We usually talk about the things that are important to us. The things that bring us joy and the things that bring us down. And what we say can set our focus and direction for the day.

But what do we say about the Lord? How we trust Him will determine our words about Him. And what we know about Him will determine how much we actually trust Him.

Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true [supreme and sovereign] God, and [in the same manner know] Jesus [as the] Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 AMP

The more you know Him, the more you trust Him, and will see Him working on your behalf.

Start your day with Him, declaring His goodness and grace to you. Say this verse out loud and believe it!

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalms 91:2 NIV

Day 14

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For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts higher than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9 AMP

So many times we look at this verse thinking that we could never understand God’s ways and thoughts. But that isn’t what He is saying here. Jesus came to explain those higher ways and higher thoughts.

From that time on Jesus began to preach, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. Matthew 4:17 NIV

He was saying, change your mind because I am bringing you the kingdom of heaven to show you how God really is and what His kingdom is all about.

Man’s way of thinking:

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’" Matthew 5:43 NIV

God’s way of thinking:

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44 NIV

Why?

that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Matthew 5:45 NIV

Day 15

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For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 1 Peter 3:12 NIV

You become righteous by trusting in what Jesus did for you. Once you have done that, you have God’s full attention as His child. His eyes are watching you. Not to see if you make a mistake, but rather to help you get back up when you fall and to cheer you on!

And His ears are attentive! He is listening. You can know that for a fact! Your prayers (those things that you desperately need, whether they are for you or someone else), are going straight to the One Who can fix them!

Isn’t that one of our greatest desires, to know that God cares for you, watches over you, and listens to you! Yes that is what a good father does and He is a good Father!

Day 16

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Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV

If you look at any of the people who we consider the great people of faith, you will see that their stories are filled with problems that they persevered through. Think about Joshua and Caleb, who after being sent in as spies to the promised land, told all the Israelites that the land was exactly as God said it would be. But because of the unbelief and the fear of the other ten spies, Joshua and Caleb were nearly stoned to death. Then they had to wait forty years to get to the Promised Land. They persevered through all of that.

Nehemiah first had to deal with the enemies outside of the walls of Jerusalem that he was rebuilding. And then he had to deal with all the problems on the inside with his own people!

These men saw the promises of God fulfilled, but only after standing firm in the face of opposition.

We have a choice every day to stand strong or to cave under pressure. The Lord holds great things in store for those who will hold tightly to Him no matter what the opposition tells you, or looks like!

But He also holds out forgiveness to us if we do fall. He will help you get right back up!

Day 17

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You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 NIV

This is an amazing promise! But it doesn’t come easily.

Have you ever asked a child to look for their missing sock. They might stand in the middle of the room, take a quick glance around and say, I can’t find it!

Now tell that same child that as soon as they find that missing sock, you are taking them to the store to buy them a puppy. They will search for it as for hidden treasure! And they will find it!

What are you passionate about? Or what is important to you?

Jesus told the story about a widow woman who lost a coin. She swept her whole house, cleaning every corner of every room till she found her lost coin. And