1343) For many reasons I do not have time to probe psychologically, I am afraid of fire and water. I can distinctly remember when I was first married, dreaming our house was on fire. I even reached up behind the headboard to feel if the wall was hot. It took time for my heartrate to calm.

Water is also something that frightens me. Once my husband and I took our little dog to a fast-flowing river and my dog jumped right in. If he hadn’t been on a leash, I know the river would have swept him away. It was days before I could get that image out of my mind.

What I think is interesting is that God uses both things I fear to bring comfort in Isaiah 43:2. He tells us if we find ourselves in the furious current of a river of difficult circumstances, he will be right there in the water with us. He says that when walking through the fires of life, it will not burn us up or set us ablaze.

Isn’t this good news? Yes, of course it is, but God did NOT say he would keep us from the furious currents of life nor arrange that we are never suffering the fires this world can bring. He only promises he will be there with us.

Sometimes the pain and hurt of life are overwhelming, but you don’t have to go through it alone. God is there with you!