Overcoming Fears and Phobias

Fears and phobias can terrorize us, but the Bible assures us that God will help us to deal with them.

Photo by Some Tale on Unsplash

When I was in my early twenties, I decided to join some friends who were attending a church event far from home. We all traveled a day and a night by train to our destination. Anna (not her real name) was part of our group. We were the only ones without berths, so we curled up in the plush train seats to sleep. I was dozing when I was shocked awake by the pain of Anna’s hands encircling my wrists.

“The train is going to go off the tracks. We are all going to die! ” she cried in terror. In my dozy, more-than-ready-for-sleep state, I thought she was kidding. “The train is going to go off the tracks! We are all going to die,” she said again. She was so scared that her eyes bulged and her face was paper-white. The fear was real. I felt totally helpless against this panic attack.
“The train is not going to go off the tracks, Anna,” I said.
Anna was shaking uncontrollably. She leaned forward, her face close to mine.
“I know the train is going off the tracks. We are going to die,” she kept repeating.

My muddled brain floundered. I sent up a silent, desperate prayer to God for insight into what to do next.

“Do you think it is God’s will that the train go off the tracks right now?” I asked.
“No,” she admitted reluctantly.
“Do…