Fear vs. Trust

A devotional for Wednesday

Proverbs 3:5
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

Fear has a powerful influence on human behavior. When we feel threatened or uncertain, our instinct is to take control. We try to manage outcomes, protect ourselves, and secure the future on our own terms. This is exactly what happened with God’s people in Jeremiah’s time. Instead of trusting God, they began making choices driven by fear. Fear led them into destructive practices that distorted the very purpose of worship. Even today, fear can push us toward unhealthy decisions. We may manipulate situations, force outcomes, or rely entirely on our own strength. Trusting God requires surrendering that need for control. It means believing that God’s plans are better than our strategies. Trust does not mean ignoring reality or refusing to act wisely. It means placing our confidence in God rather than in our own ability to fix everything. When fear loosens its grip on our hearts, faith begins to grow.

What is one situation where fear may be influencing your decisions? Ask God to replace that fear with trust in His guidance.