(Editor's Note: This blog was written by Adam Borcicky who interned for The Stand's Engage division.)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7).
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
Fear is universal. It is a symptom of our sinful condition. The Devil uses fear to distract God’s people from their purpose in life, and every time we sin, we allow this fear to come into us.
If we look at the definition of fear, we can note that it has more than one meaning. Typically, we think of fear like a “phobia,” arachnophobia (fear of spiders) or acrophobia (fear of heights). However, there is a second definition. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “fear” is “to have a reverential awe of.” When the Bible says, “Fear God” (Ecclesiastes. 12:13) and “Fear not” (mentioned 365 times), it is not a contradiction, but a focus. Today, I want to share three facts about fear that will change your focus on life.
Fear Can Manifest Itself Beyond “Phobia”
As kids, we might have feared the dark, thunderstorms, or roller coasters. Some may have stage fright. We typically think of things like these as fear, and that is true. However, even in young adults, there is fear. You have probably heard the term “FOMO” before. It stands for the “Fear of Missing Out.” Psychologists have linked this to deeper abandonment issues. Perfectionism, too, is a form of fear. Perfectionists are afraid of failure or of not being good enough.
Fear Blinds You
Fear hurts in many ways. On the surface, fear is just an emotion, but deep down, it paralyzes you. It prevents you from doing extraordinary things for the Lord. Fear of heights? You might not fly to a foreign country to be a missionary. Fear of public speaking? You might miss the opportunity to share the gospel with a people group.
Fear also can hurt your confidence. As mentioned above, perfectionism is a huge obstacle in our lives. If we are not careful, this fear of failure can result in trying to earn God’s favor. When we fail and sin, we beat ourselves up. We may even doubt our salvation. God knows our weakness. He still died for us anyway. Psalm 27:1 reminds us "...whom then shall we fear?"
Fear can also hurt your witness. I had the opportunity to interview a German international student about her views on Christianity. She believes that Christians are the ones who love and comfort. They have all the answers. Christians are willing and fearless to share the love of God.
Do we not realize this? God’s Word says that we are “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). Christians are to be the example of courage. When we hold the label of Christian, people assume we are bold and can come to us for comfort. However, they can see our fear. Seeing our fear can be an obstacle to the gospel reaching them.
In the DreamWorks movie Prince of Egypt, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, sings the song “In Heaven’s Eyes.” Moses is terrified of his life and all the wrong he did. The song shares that we can only see a single thread in the whole tapestry of life. We see only a small picture. God sees the whole picture. We fear whenever we try to see the whole picture but can’t. We fear the unknown. This is why we need to be reminded.
Fear is a Reminder
When the Devil brings fear into our lives, we are given a choice. Are we going to trust our temporary feelings, or are we going to trust in the One who created us to feel in the first place? As the Devil attacks us with fear, he knows it is not because we are lost, but because he lost another soul to God. Being afraid is not a sin but focusing on it over God’s providence is. May it be a reminder to us. The author of Psalm 56 writes, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3 NKJV).
Again, fear is not just irrational, it can also mean reverence to the Lord. We should fear God much more than any temporary circumstance here on earth. He is the Lord of Lords, sovereign over all creation. When fear arises, don’t be distracted or discouraged, but look to God. Regardless of what is happening to you, He is faithful.
