“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

There’s a word in that verse, you don’t hear much anymore…dismayed. And I had to pause and ask, what does dismayed actually mean? Dismayed means feeling distress or anxiety, typically at something unexpected. It also means to look around in terror. God is speaking with tenderness here, telling us not to look around as one might do in danger or in a state of alarm. He’s telling us to instead be calm because He’s here with us.