Overcoming Fear Through Song
I was listening to an old worship song we used to sing at my old church in Troy, MI (goodness it made me feel nostalgic). It’s “Made Me Glad” by Hillsong and the opening lines spoke to me…
“I will bless the Lord forever
And I will trust Him at all times
He has delivered me from all fear
And He has set my feet upon a rock
I will not be moved, and I’ll say of the Lord
You are my shield, my strength, my portion
Deliverer, my shelter, strong tower
My very present help in time of need”
It got me thinking of a time when I was so full of fear. I went through a terrible bout of anxiety attacks and it was as if I couldn’t stop the feelings of fear from overtaking me no matter how much I prayed, read the Bible, watched sermons etc. But it was through worship that God ultimately delivered me from a spirit of fear. It wasn’t overnight, but I realized this morning while singing those words how little fear I have today.
That is solely because of God’s work in my life, nothing I have done. But He used worship, time and time again, to calm my soul, to steady my beating heart, to bring about peace and trust in times of uncertainty. This is why worship is such an important part of the Christian experience, there are so many verses commanding us to sing praises because it strengthens us — it is a beautiful gift!
What’s even more incredible is what Zephaniah 3:17 says, “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
Isn’t it just incredible to think He sings OVER US to help calm our fears and restore our joy? If even God Himself uses songs to help us, He must understand the profound moment-changing ability music has. I cannot even begin to fathom what kind of glorious songs our Creator would sing on our behalf, but even in my feeble attempt to imagine it, all I can really say is that I can’t wait to hear it with my own ears someday!!! In the meantime, I’ll keep singing, “You have made me glad…” 🎶
