“I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
– Psalm 34:4

With a glance in the rear view mirror, I could see the fear in their eyes. Maybe it was the armed guards at the gate, or it could have been the barbed wire fence that stretched as far a you could see in both directions. Driving the bus into the compound that housed juvenile offenders created an uneasy feeling for my young football team. We were in our first season and this was going to be a real test. I had received quite a few calls from coaches wanting to add us to their schedule, but I thought this road game would be good for our team. Now, I was beginning to have second thoughts. We got off the bus and walked to the far end of the field to begin warmups. As we began to stretch, I noticed that the body language of my players changed. A quick glance told me why. Walking single file from their dorms came 300 inmates to watch the game. I had to turn the team around, facing the opposite direction, in order for us to finish our pregame routine.

There are times in our lives when fear overwhelms us. I realize now that I had put my guys in a tough situation. No matter where they turned, all they saw were unfamiliar obstacles and it was difficult to concentrate on playing football. That can happen to us in life too. How many times do we get so caught up in what is going on around us that we forget to look up? How often do we rely on our own strength and intellect to get out of a sticky situation instead of calling on the Lord? I believe the answer to overcoming fear is total and complete trust in God. He loves us and will never abandon us, regardless of the difficulties we find ourselves in.

Heavenly Father, take my fears away today and help me to know that I can always trust You. Amen.