Moving Beyond Fear and Dismay - Encouragement for Today - September 19, 2025
Moving Beyond Fear and Dismay
KAREN WINGATE
Lee en español
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
My mind reeled with the unexpected news. Within three years, my husband had been let go from the job we were certain God had called him to do. We’d need to sell our beautiful home and move out of state.
New schools for our daughters.
New relationships and connections.
New everything.
I didn’t want to face any of it.
The “gut punch” of our unforeseen moments can take many forms. A health diagnosis, a family member’s suffering, a child’s departure from all we have tried to teach them, or even a relationship-shaking argument can make us feel defeated and cause us to lose the will to move forward. I found a word in today’s key Bible verse that often describes our reaction to those life glitches: “dismayed.”
Yet God says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
Dismay, I've discovered, is different from fear. Fear is anxiety about what has not yet happened, but dismay is paralyzing discouragement over an unexpected life change.
In His Word, God reassures us that we don’t have to be dismayed about what has happened or fear what might happen next. Why? He is our God. He is ultimately in control of everything, and He is aware of each moment of our lives. He cares enough to walk us through and out of whatever we face.
Our verse outlines three promises God makes to bring us through those moments:
- He will strengthen us. It’s easy to think, I can’t handle this. But God will give us His supernatural strength to do what we thought we couldn’t do.
- He will help us. God’s help may come in the form of ideas for solutions or other people to share the load, or He may resolve the situation in ways only He can.
- He will uphold us with His righteous right hand.
When we have collapsed with discouragement, God is the One capable of picking us up, putting us on our feet, and encouraging us to keep going. His faithfulness to us will keep us strong as we navigate the new.
Oh, friend, God cares so much about you. He knows when life events destroy your sense of normalcy, throwing you into the total disarray of the unfamiliar. Let God’s Word and His Holy Spirit reassure you: God is all-powerful. He can handle this. Because He loves you, He will help you come out on the other side, still standing, with your faith and obedience to Him intact and stronger than ever.
Lord, the next time I feel pushed down, dismayed, and defeated, please remind me that You will see me through this new wrinkle in my life. You are God, You love me, and You can keep me safe through whatever I face. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
One of the hardest parts of trusting God is leaving room for the mystery of God. How can we continue to faithfully follow Him when we are struggling to see evidence of His goodness in our story? Lysa TerKeurst unpacks this question alongside her friend Brittany Sjogren in a recent conversation “How To Trust God Through Seasons of Waiting and Change.” Watch on YouTube now!
In her book Grateful Heart: 60 Reasons to Give Thanks in All Things, Karen shares how God stays with us through the worst of life moments. You can get your copy or one for a discouraged friend here.
ENGAGE
What have you seen God do? See what others are saying in Karen’s Facebook group, “What I Saw God Do Today.” Join here.
You can also subscribe to Karen’s weekly newsletter here!
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Deuteronomy 31:8, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (NIV).
The next time you face a discouraging situation, imagine the holy, glorious presence of God standing in front of you, in the middle of your path of uncertainty. Thank Him that He will not abandon you in the crisis you face.
How has God brought you through a time of dismay and discouragement? Encourage the rest of us with your story in the comments.
© 2025 by Karen Wingate. All rights reserved.
