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QUESTION

What is the most ridiculous thing you have ever been afraid of?

Fear shows up in everyone’s life—it just wears different faces. For some, it's heights or spiders. For others, it’s something less obvious, like a fear of failure, being misunderstood, or never measuring up. There’s even a fear of fear itself—phobophobia. No matter how irrational or hidden, fear is something we all wrestle with.

But fear doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it whispers lies that chip away at our confidence, our calling, and even our connection with God. It distracts, defines, and eventually directs us—if we let it.

God has something better in mind. He hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

God wants His truth—not fear—to shape our lives. He has promised to walk with us through every challenge. And more than that, He’s promised to give us strength and help whenever we need it.

When fear tries to take the lead, God invites us to trust Him instead. He’s not distant or indifferent—He walks with us, strengthens us, and reminds us that His truth is greater than our fears

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

Consider What the Bible Says

If anyone had every reason to trust God, it was Jacob.

He’d seen angels,

Genesis 28:10–17 (NLT) (Jacob’s dream at Bethel—ladder to heaven and God’s promise of protection and blessing)

wrestled with God,

Genesis 35:11–12 (NLT) Then God said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.”

and heard His voice.

Genesis 32:28 (NLT) “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”

He received promise after promise—that God would provide, protect, and carry on his family line. And yet… fear still found a way in.

In Genesis 42, despite all the divine encounters, Jacob’s fear spoke louder than his faith. As famine swept the land, he sent his sons to Egypt for food but refused to let Benjamin go. Why? Because fear told him he couldn’t bear another loss.

Jacob’s story reminds us that even those who walk closely with God still battle doubt. But it also shows how deeply human we are—and how patient God is. God doesn’t abandon Jacob in his fear. Instead, He keeps working behind the scenes, weaving redemption through uncertainty.

Faith isn’t the absence of fear—it’s trusting God in spite of the fear or anxiety.

Life’s Challenges Can Expose Our Fear and Insecurities

THE CLIFF NOTES

Genesis 42 – Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

Back in Canaan, the famine was getting worse, and Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt. So he sent ten of his sons—everyone except Benjamin—to go buy food. When they arrived, they bowed down before Joseph, not realizing he was their long-lost brother. Joseph recognized them instantly, but he didn’t reveal who he was. Instead, he spoke harshly and accused them of being spies.

To test them, Joseph demanded they bring back their youngest brother, Benjamin, as proof of their honesty. He held Simeon hostage and sent the others home with grain—but he secretly returned their silver in their sacks.

Genesis 43 – The Brothers Return with Benjamin

Eventually, the food ran out again. Jacob was reluctant to send Benjamin, his youngest and favorite son, but Judah stepped up and personally guaranteed his safety. Jacob agreed, and the brothers returned to Egypt with Benjamin and gifts.

When Joseph saw Benjamin, he was overwhelmed with emotion and had to leave the room to weep. He then prepared a feast for his brothers, treating them generously—especially Benjamin, who got five times as much food.

Genesis 44 – The Silver Cup Test

Before sending them home, Joseph planted his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack and then sent his steward to chase them down. When the cup was found, Joseph claimed Benjamin must stay as a slave.

Judah, showing true growth and courage, begged Joseph to take him instead. He explained how much it would break their father’s heart to lose Benjamin after already losing Joseph.

Genesis 45 – Joseph Reveals His Identity

Joseph couldn’t hold it in any longer. He made everyone leave the room except his brothers, then revealed, “I’m Joseph—your brother!” They were stunned and terrified, but Joseph reassured them. He told them not to be afraid or feel guilty. What they meant for harm, God used for good—to save many lives.

Joseph urged them to go home, tell their father he was alive, and bring the whole family to Egypt to survive the famine. Pharaoh even offered them the best land in Egypt.

Genesis 46 – Jacob Moves to Egypt

Jacob was overjoyed but cautious. On the way to Egypt, God spoke to him in a vision, reassuring him that it was part of His plan and that He would make Jacob’s family a great nation there.

So Jacob and all his descendants—sons, grandsons, daughters, and livestock—moved to Egypt. Joseph finally reunited with his father in an emotional moment. Jacob said he could die in peace now, knowing Joseph was alive.

Read Genesis 42:1–4 (NLT) When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at one another? I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.” So Joseph’s ten older brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain. But Jacob wouldn’t let Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin, go with them, for fear some harm might come to him.

Jacob’s fear wasn’t irrational—it was personal. He believed he had already lost Joseph, and the thought of losing Benjamin was just too much to bear.

Genesis 42:38 (NLT) “My son will not go down with you,” Jacob insisted. “His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.”

His past pain shaped his present fear, and it nearly clouded his ability to trust God's bigger plan.

We can relate. Our past experiences—loss, disappointment, failure—can quietly convince us to play it safe, to hold back, to protect ourselves at all costs. But when fear calls the shots, faith takes a back seat.

Jacob’s story reminds us that even deep, understandable fear can’t override God’s faithfulness. When we’re tempted to let fear dictate our decisions, we must anchor ourselves in God’s promises. His track record is trustworthy. Choosing faith over fear isn’t always easy—but it’s always right.

God’s Solution May Require Us to Take Action

Genesis 43:11–17 (NLT)

Jacob’s sons made their way to Egypt, unaware they were standing face-to-face with Joseph. After testing their hearts, Joseph asked for Benjamin to be brought back. Faced with no other option, Jacob finally released Benjamin—unwittingly stepping into the very path God had prepared for their rescue.

What Jacob didn’t know was that God had already positioned Joseph to bless and protect the family. His provision was in place. But it required Jacob to release what he feared most.

Sometimes, God’s answers come wrapped in discomfort. Like Jacob, we’re often caught between fear and faith—between holding on and moving forward. But if we let fear dictate our steps, we risk missing what God has already prepared.

Faith means trusting God enough to let go, even when we can’t see the full picture. It means stepping forward, believing that His plan is already in motion—often just on the other side of fear.

Genesis 45:16–18 (NLT) “The news soon reached Pharaoh’s palace: ‘Joseph’s brothers have arrived!’ Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this. Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Tell your brothers, “This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan! Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.”’”

You Can Trust God with Both Your Fears and Your Future

Genesis 46:1–5 (NLT) So Jacob set out for Egypt with all his possessions. And when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. During the night God spoke to him in a vision. “Jacob! Jacob!” he called. “Here I am,” Jacob replied. “I am God, the God of your father,” the voice said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes.”

Jacob had every reason to rejoice—Benjamin was safe, Joseph was alive, and their family had been spared from famine. As he prepared to journey to Egypt, God met him once more, calming his fears and reminding him of the promise still ahead.

For so long, Jacob had been fixated on what he might lose, he couldn’t see what God was building. Fear had narrowed his vision, keeping him focused on survival instead of God’s unfolding redemption.

But God always sees the bigger picture. He wasn’t just rescuing a family—He was preparing to birth a nation.

When we release our fear and trust God with what we can’t control, we begin to see what He sees: purpose in the pain, beauty in the waiting, and blessing beyond what we imagined.

Did You Know?

While Egypt is often thought of as dry desert land, ancient Egypt had one of the world’s most reliable food supplies. Thanks to the predictable flooding of the Nile River, their agricultural systems thrived—especially in the Nile Delta. So when other regions, like Canaan, were starving due to drought, Egypt became a lifeline. That’s why Jacob and his family journeyed there in desperate times—and why God used that journey to change history.

Reflect

God Helps Me with Fear and Anxiety

Fear and anxiety have a way of clouding our judgment and holding us back. Left unchecked, they can keep us stuck—robbing us of the future God is trying to lead us into.

But we don’t have to let fear call the shots.

God’s promises are greater than our anxieties. His truth steadies us when our emotions shake us. So today, make the choice to believe what He says over what fear whispers. Stand firm on His Word. Trust Him with your future. And move forward—no turning back.