BY MARIANNE AWARAJI
Audience Relations Manager for SAT-7’s Arabic channels
In this personal reflection on the turbulent situation in Lebanon, SAT‑7’s Marianne Awaraji shares her fears as the mother of an eight-year-old son, and how she is helping him – and others – put their trust in God.
For Such a Time as This: Focusing on Eternity Instead of Fear
During these turbulent times in Lebanon, with war seemingly on our doorstep and the terrifying roar of fighter planes overhead, fear grips me in a way that I can’t ignore. The memories of Lebanon’s painful history come flooding back, making my heart race and my hands tremble every time I hear the sound, thinking it is another explosion nearby. How can I possibly conceal this fear from my eight-year-old son when I instinctively run to him, desperate to ensure he’s all right? How do I explain that it’s “just the sound of a plane” and that everything is fine, when my face betrays my alarm and my breath quickens with anxiety?
When he looks up at me with wide, worried eyes and asks, “Mom, what’s happening? Are we going to be okay? You’re scaring me,” my heart aches. And when he asks to play with his friends in a place near the area that was recently hit by an explosion that claimed innocent lives, I find myself saying, “It’s better not to go; it may be dangerous.” Suddenly, the words I used to comfort him – “everything is fine” – seem hollow, and he begins to doubt. Now, whenever we plan to go somewhere, he hesitates, whispering, “Is it safe?” If I need to go to work, he clings to me, pleading, “Mom, I want to come with you… please, I don’t want you to leave.”
I’ve prayed so much, but it’s a daily battle to keep my focus on Jesus and not on the fear that surrounds us. There are days when I feel like fleeing this country, not out of fear for myself, but because I don’t want my son, Noah, to endure the same scars of fear and trauma that have marked generations of Lebanese. Social media, once a distraction for me when I needed a breather, now only amplifies the fear with its constant stream of dark news and looming threats. I unfollowed all news accounts because I felt that they were making things worse for me. I’ve even gone so far as to prepare an emergency bag, just in case we need to escape.
Trusting God
But then, one day, I heard a sermon about making space for Jesus in our lives, living with eternity in mind in order not to be consumed by the fears of today. I was reminded of 2006, during the war with Israel, when my father, who was in the army, had to fight. I was terrified and prayed so fervently for his safety, and Jesus answered those prayers. Remembering that, I knew Noah needed to experience God’s grace and presence for himself too and learn to trust Him.
I explained to Noah, in simple terms, that sometimes people fight over land, much like children fight over toys. But when adults fight, it can get very bad, and they hurt each other, which breaks God’s heart. I told him that while these people are far away from us, we have a responsibility as God’s children to pray for them: to pray that they come to know Jesus and turn away from evil; to pray for protection for those who are suffering; and to ask God to use us to share His love with those around us.
And so this has become our daily prayer and lifeline. Spending time in God’s Word, meditating on it, praying through it, and declaring it over my life, my ministry, and my country has become an essential routine, like a spiritual CPR that revives a weary soul. In challenging times like these, I’ve realized that nothing sustains faith more than the presence of Jesus. Moses could stand before Pharaoh only because God’s presence was with him, as He promised in Exodus 3:12: “God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you.'”
His presence fills me with strength and hope, reminding me of my calling. It helps me shift my focus away from the turmoil around me, acknowledging the reality of the situation, but fixing my eyes on my Savior, who is always in control and who remains my good and loving Father. In His perfect love, all fear is cast out, and in that love, I find peace.
Sharing Hope
This season has ignited a fire within me, a zeal to share God’s hope with others through devotional videos I post on my personal social media platforms. These make people reach out to me asking for prayer, which is a great opportunity to share on a personal level with them the hope I have in Christ.
Working in the Viewer Support Team of SAT-7 has also given me the opportunity to be a light in these dark times. We have started planning with other departments how to be there for the people of the region, meet them where they are in their anxieties and fears, and tend to their needs. SAT-7 has launched incredible initiatives to support those who are gripped by fear and hopelessness. (You can read more about SAT‑7’s response to the situation in Lebanon in an upcoming article.)
Ultimately, I’m blessed that my work is also my ministry. Perhaps God has placed all of us at SAT-7 for such a time as this, to be a voice for those who cannot speak, to bring the hope of Christ to a region that has lost hope for a better future. Our true hope lies in the promise that one day we will be with Him forever, where there will be no more tears or pain. Life is fleeting, and we must use every moment to live for Him and point others to His love.
