Whom shall I fear - Practical Excerpts for the Prayer of Containment

Learn to experience the accompaniment of the Lord and his presence with you each day, throughout the day. Let your motto always be: “I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (Psalm 16: 8).

Be wary of linking your spiritual life and your peace to a particular person. Do not rely on human strength, so as not to collapse when they leave you or you lose them. But depend on the Lord, Who will never leave you nor forsake you.

Be filled with certainty of God's love. Perfect love casts out fear. But he who fears has not yet been made perfect in love.

Keep and remember always the goodness of the Lord towards you in the past, and your experience of the Lord’s accompaniment and His love. Write and repeat it, saying, “He who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us” (2 Corinthians 1: 10).

Do not live alone, but learn to have fellowship with those who call out to God with a pure heart. The Lord draws you to Himself, but He also draws you to His body, which is the Church.

Remind yourself in every situation, that God is with you, as did Elisha, whose motto was always, “The LORD lives, before whom I stand” (2 Kings 5: 16).

Learn to rely on the Lord in every small or large aspect of your life. Do not come out of your home to face the pressures of your day alone.

Always declare your weakness to the Lord, and believe that without Him, you can not do anything. But trust that in Him, you can do all things through Christ, who strengthens you.

Lift up your eyes away from your circumstances, and enjoy the Lord, Who contains you. (Contain: hold, enclose, surround, control). Perhaps you are facing similar circumstances as those around, but you have the advantage of the Lord walking with you.

Trust that your Redeemer lives and He is able to contain you wherever you are. Do not fear those who kill the body, the most they can do is to cause you to be with him. And this is much better.

Prayer

O Lord, teach me how to throw myself in Your bosom.
I feel the intense need for you to contain me.
My weary head, my scattered thoughts, my troubled heart, my wobbly knees, and my trembling hands are in need of your strong bosom to gather up my scattered pieces and unite my heart

O Lord, I feel all alone although I am in the midst of many.
I feel that people are not able to treat my fear and weakness.
I need to be filled with Your love and compassion, your presence and your attendance, your strength and authority.

Let me experience your accompaniment with me.
Let me cling to You, for You rescue me.
Let me leave to You, for You strengthen me.
Let me throw myself in Your arms, for You carry me and lead me, O Lord.

Magdy Samuel