When Panic Strikes

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1

Out of nowhere, everything tightens. Your chest, your throat, the certainty that something terrible is about to happen, even without any real reason. Whoever has never felt it doesn't understand, and whoever has felt it knows that in that moment it's hard even to remember how to breathe.

My son, my daughter, I am not a God who shows up only after the storm has passed. I am a very present help in trouble — present right in the middle of the peak, not only in the calm that comes after. You can call my name even while gasping for breath, even without managing to form a full sentence.

While your body reacts, seek professional help if you need it, with no shame in that at all. And in the meantime, know that I am holding your hand in this exact moment. This will pass. You will not stay trapped in this moment forever. I am your refuge now, and I will be after the wave goes down.