“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21)

Don’t you wish you always had the right answer for every question and situation? Don’t you wish you never made mistakes, never hurt somebody’s feelings, never said the wrong thing at the wrong time and NEVER made a bad decision?

That would be great, but let’s face it; that will never happen to any of us. But, we still have to push forward in our lives, making decisions when we may not know all of the facts or are unsure of the repercussions. Making mistakes that hurt other people, or ourselves, with absolutely no intention of doing so.

But, no matter how difficult it gets sometimes, you have to keep plowing forward, doing the best you can with the knowledge you have. Otherwise, fear can keep you from getting anywhere or from living an exciting, full life.

There are times, however,  I get to the point where I have to make so many decisions that I feel like I can’t make any more. But, of course, ignoring a situation or situations does not make them go away. They just add up and weigh upon you, making you feel even more overwhelmed until you deal with them.

It’s not easy living this life. You can try to keep your life simple, but in this world, you only have control over a certain amount of it. But, through all of the turmoil, disappointment and attacks, I just keep telling myself — and I will tell you — do not be afraid.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)

If you ever want to feel strengthened and uplifted, search the Bible for the key words, “fear not.” God tells us so many times to not be afraid and that He will help and uphold us.

My pastor, family and friends are strong support, and we all try to help each other through the down times. But, face it, they are just as human as I am and they only have so much control over life’s circumstances. God is the only One who can guarantee us the help and peace we need to get through this life.

Remember, also, He tells us to ask for wisdom: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5) So, we can keep asking for wisdom for ourselves as well as ask for God’s wisdom: “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)

So, He has given us so many ways to cope with this life, teaching us, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7)

We just have to be quiet for a moment and let Him teach us, help us, strengthen us and guide us. I just don’t know any other way to get through this life — not without God.

Yes, I cling to Him — not necessarily religion — but I cling to my heavenly Father. And I find no shame in that. No one should.

Debra Robillard can be reached at drobillard@palltimes.com
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