"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
Lately, with all the trouble we are seeing in our world, the word that keeps coming to mind is “dismayed.” I’m not sure why, but all of the negative that’s happening is very confusing for me. In the words of Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?” There is so much division in our world, so much strife, and heartache galore. While I know God is in control and He’s on the throne… still I’m human, and when I cry out to Him, one of the words I find myself using is that I am dismayed by all that’s taking place.
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “dismayed” as: to cause to lose courage or resolution. Oxford Languages defines it as: to cause someone to feel consternation and distress. Dictionary.com defines “dismayed” as: thoroughly disheartened, as by sudden danger or trouble; or surprised and disillusioned; and finally… alarmed and or perturbed. Wow. That is one discouraging word!
Then I realized that the word dismayed appears in one of my favorite verses, Isaiah 41:10: "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.” Thank you Lord! You are telling me NOT to be the very thing I keep thinking about. Do NOT be dismayed!
Wait a minute… but wasn’t Isaiah 41 written to encourage the Israelites who were in captivity? The Lord is assuring Israel, the sons of Abraham, that His actions were for their benefit. He is encouraging them to not fear, to trust Him, and He promises to strengthen them and uphold them in their tumultuous times.
While the promise in Isaiah 41:10 was clearly to a specific people for a specific purpose, yet I believe it still applies to us today. This verse, as many, describes God’s character and demonstrates His tremendous love for His people. We are His people. We live in tumultuous times, therefore I choose to claim this promise and am reminding myself daily to not dismay because I know God is always with us, always upholding us. There are many verses reminding us not to fear! This is one of those that I cling to. When I find myself confused about life’s circumstances, when I feel beat up by this world, when I find myself questioning and becoming dismayed, I pray and recite Isaiah 41:10 and God’s peace floods over me. I have to keep reminding myself, though… it’s not always easy, but it’s so worth it!