Be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.

~Ephesians 5:18-19 NLT

As much as I long to see vistas from high above, the course I must take to ascend them puts me into panic mode and has since I was a child. My husband drives sedately and carefully, taking my anxiety into account. But even then, I am filled with fear in the mountains.

How do I describe it, this feeling that comes over me … wells up inside me … overtakes me? It is as though that expanse over the edge will pull me into itself and drop me into an unending freefall. I tell myself this is not a reality, but my emotions scream otherwise. This is acrophobia.

On one trip, our route took us through mountain roads. Although paved and relatively well-maintained, the heights once again threatened to take me down, especially in areas without guardrails. I tried breathing deeply and slowly, but the empty space beside us interfered, overtaking my senses.

Yet, as the psalmist’s question and answer session came to mind, I raised my view to the sky.

I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!

~Psalm 121:1-2 NLT

Then, I remembered another scene from the Bible. Two men shackled and imprisoned in a dark prison, praying and singing hymns to the Lord.

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!

~Acts 16:25-26 NLT

While I didn’t want the earth to shake as it did in their situation, I wanted to be free from my fear. Following Paul’s instructions in Ephesians, I began to sing softly.

As we traveled through the summit passes, my husband didn’t mind as I sang one childhood Sunday school chorus after another, bits of hymns, and worship and praise songs. Somehow, when God’s word is set to music, it sticks with me. Not only did singing these precious words bring my focus back around to Jesus, but it also forced me to breathe normally. This helped to reduce my anxiety and lowered that sense of falling into the chasms. I can truly say with the psalmist:

My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!

~Psalm 57:7 NLT

When a threatening chasm of worry and anxiety threatens you, let praise to God be in your heart and on your lips.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the many songs that give You praise and for giving freedom from fear. Yes, my heart is confident in You. Amen.

 

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2026: Fear in the Mountains: Anita van der Elst: All Rights Reserved