Day 3 — When Fear Hits Hard

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

— Isaiah 43:2–3 (BSB)

It came out of nowhere. You were sitting in class, or lying in bed, or standing in a crowded market, and suddenly your heart was pounding so hard you could feel it in your throat. You couldn’t get a full breath. Your hands went shaky and tingly. Your thoughts raced: Something is badly wrong. I’m going to faint. I’m going to die. A few minutes later it eased off, and you were left exhausted, embarrassed and afraid it would happen again.

If that has happened to you, you may have had what’s often called a panic attack. They are far more common than most people realise, and they feel terrifying. But here’s something worth knowing: a panic attack is your body’s alarm system going off when there’s no fire. It’s horrible, but it rises, peaks and passes. It isn’t a sign that you’re going mad, and it isn’t a sign that God has abandoned you.

The disciples knew what it was to panic. They were in a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee when a storm hit and the boat began filling with water. These were experienced fishermen, and they were sure they were about to drown. And Jesus was asleep. They shook Him awake: “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”

That’s what panic sounds like. Don’t You care? But notice: Jesus was in the boat. He’d been there all along. He stood up, spoke to the wind and the waves, and it was calm.

That’s exactly what God promises in Isaiah 43. Not “you will never go through deep water.” He says “when you pass through the waters.” The waters are real. The fire is real. But “I will be with you.” The rivers “will not overwhelm you.” Fear may feel like it’s swallowing you. It doesn’t get the last word.

Even Jesus knew overwhelming distress. In the garden the night before the cross He said, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death.” Luke tells us that “in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly.” He doesn’t look down on your fear. He has been there.

So what can you do when it hits?

Breathe slowly. Breathe in through your nose for a slow count of four, and out through your mouth for a slow count of six. Long breaths out tell your body that the danger has passed.

Come back to now. Name five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch. Panic lives in “what if.” Bring yourself back to “what is.”

Hold on to one sentence. Something short enough to say when you can’t think: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” Or simply: Jesus, You’re in the boat.

And please, if this keeps happening, tell a parent or trusted adult and see a doctor. Panic attacks can be treated, and getting help is not a lack of faith. If fear or sadness ever leads you to think about hurting yourself or not wanting to be alive, tell a parent or trusted adult right away.

The waters are deep. But you are not alone in them.

Think about it: When fear hits you hardest, what do you usually do? What would it look like to remember that Jesus is in the boat?

Try this: Practise the slow breathing today, when you’re calm, so that it’s ready when you need it. Then choose your one sentence and write it somewhere you’ll see it.

Go deeper: The Key Teachings of Corrie ten Boom — in the terror of Ravensbrück, Corrie’s sister Betsie said there is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still; the chapter is honest that God doesn’t always keep His children out of the pit, but shows that the everlasting arms are always underneath. Start with chapter 7, “No Pit So Deep”.

Lord, sometimes fear hits me so hard I can’t think. Thank You that You are with me when I pass through the waters, and that they will not overwhelm me. When my heart races, help me remember You’re in the boat. Give me courage to tell someone, and hold me when I can’t hold on. In Jesus’ name, Amen.