Kids' Fears and God's Promises

July 29, 2023

We are afraid of so many things today. No matter how much we try to shelter our children from the realities of Covid and the news today, they know what is going on. Fear, anxiety, and depression have been reported by people of all ages at tremendous rates. We can tell our kids not to be afraid and even point them to Bible passages where God tells his people to not be afraid. But sometimes we need to do more to come alongside our children as they experience fear and ask questions about what is going on in the world around them.

1. Address their fear head on. Talk to your kids about what is going on in the world around them. Let them know that even though things can be scary, you are there to listen to them and to explain things to them. Let them ask their honest questions and look for answers together. And confess to them some of your fears as well. Just knowing that you are afraid sometimes may help them realize that fear is a normal part of life.

2. Find examples from Scripture that address fear. Psalm 23, Isaiah 41, and Joshua 1 are great places to start. Look to Jesus in the gospels and see how often his disciples are afraid and how often Jesus tells people not to be afraid. Talk about how God assures us that we don’t need to be afraid and that we will always belong to him.
   
3. Spend time in prayer. Pray together with your children as you bring your fears to God. Repeat a simple prayer like the following whenever fear seems too much:
   
   1. “Lord, you are our light and our salvation—whom should we fear? Lord, you are the stronghold of our lives—of whom should we be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).
   2. “God, even when we walk in dark places, we will fear no evil because you are with us” (Psalm 23:4).
   3. “God, we will not be afraid because you are with us. Strengthen us and help us” (Isaiah 41:10).
4. Seek professional help. If things get to be too much, don’t be afraid to seek professional help for yourself or your children. Talk to your pastor or a school guidance counselor for a list of names and references. Just being able to talk through fears with a professional can be very helpful.
   

Fear—and the things that cause it—aren’t going anywhere. But neither are God and his promises to us. Faith in God and in his promises to us can help us overcome fear. Relying on those promises together as a family is more important now than ever.

Want to do a deep dive? Check out Family Fire's article Standing Firm in Faith: Facing Fear