There are moments in our lives when God speaks so personally that they become milestones in our journey of faith.
I would like to share one of those moments with you.
Not to draw attention to the experience itself, but to encourage anyone who feels trapped by fear, anxiety, doubt, or any form of bondage.
A Night in Hebrews
As is my daily habit, I spent time reading the Bible before going to sleep.
That evening I was reading Hebrews chapters 11 through 13.
As I read through what many call the “Hall of Faith,” I was reminded of how ordinary men and women accomplished extraordinary things simply because they trusted God.
By faith:
- Abel offered a better sacrifice.
- Noah built an ark before rain had ever fallen.
- Abraham left everything familiar.
- Moses stood before Pharaoh.
- Rahab welcomed the spies.
- Countless others overcame what seemed impossible.
One verse remained in my heart long after I had closed my Bible:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
— Hebrews 11:1
As I prayed that night, my prayer was simple.
“Lord, break me free from the bondage of fear. Remove from me the scarcity mindset that keeps me from fully trusting You. Crucify my will, and let Your will be done through me.”
Then I went to sleep.
The Struggle
Sometime during the night, I experienced something I still struggle to explain.
Whether it was a vivid dream, something spiritual, or something else entirely, I cannot say with certainty.
What I do know is how real it felt.
It felt as though something was holding me tightly.
I could not move.
I could hardly breathe.
I wanted to cry out, but I could not speak.
It felt as though fear itself was suffocating me.
Then, in the middle of that struggle, one thought came into my mind.
I began to pray.
At first, only in my thoughts.
I quietly began praying the Hail Mary.
As I prayed, something began to change.
With the first prayer, the grip seemed to loosen.
With the second, I found my voice.
With the third, I was able to speak aloud with confidence.
The fear was gone.
The sense of bondage disappeared.
Peace had replaced it.
The Morning After
When I woke the next morning, something had changed within me.
I cannot fully explain it.
I simply knew that the fear I had carried for so long no longer held the same power over me.
There was a calmness.
A confidence.
Not confidence in myself, but confidence in God.
It felt as though a heavy chain had finally been broken.
Since that morning, I have continued to pray that God would keep me humble, guard my heart from pride, and remind me daily that any strength I have comes from Him alone.
What I Learned
The greatest lesson I took from that night was not about the experience itself.
It was about faith.
The same faith I had been reading about in Hebrews.
Every person in Hebrews 11 faced circumstances that naturally produced fear.
Yet each one chose to trust God more than what they could see.
Perhaps that is why Hebrews begins by saying:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Faith is not pretending that fear does not exist.
Faith is choosing to trust God in the middle of fear.
If You Feel Bound Today
Perhaps your bondage is different from mine.
Maybe it is:
- fear
- anxiety
- shame
- addiction
- unforgiveness
- loneliness
- guilt
- despair
- a constant feeling that you are not enough
Whatever it is, know this:
God sees you.
He hears your prayers.
Sometimes His answers come quietly.
Sometimes they come unexpectedly.
Sometimes they come in ways we never anticipated.
But He has never stopped being faithful.
Do not stop praying.
Do not stop trusting.
Do not stop seeking Him.
The God who strengthened Abraham, Moses, David, and the apostles is the same God who walks with us today.
Reflection for Today
Is there a fear or bondage that has quietly ruled my life?
Have I accepted it as something I must simply live with?
Or have I brought it honestly before God?
Today I choose to place my trust not in what I can see, but in the God who sees me.
For He is El Roi—the God who sees.
And all who take refuge in Him will never be put to shame.