From the time we are born we grab onto fear naturally. It is instinctive. And it yields a tremendous amount of power. Even at an early age fear becomes a key component in our decision making process. On one hand we might think there is such a thing as a "healthy dose of fear". It's that "healthy dose" which we think keeps us out of trouble. Parents like the idea of a "healthy dose" when children are young because children don't yet have the knowledge and wisdom to effectively make good decisions. Fear of punishment, for example, often comes in handy. But we all grow up eventually. And with that growth we learn - we gain knowledge and wisdom. The use of fear in our decision making process should be replaced with Godly wisdom, knowledge and a little bit of common sense. Fear is a negative motivator. Better we should base our decisions on positive motivators (God, hope, love, trust, faith) and rely less on fear.
Fear comes as a wild and vicious attack on our attempts to live a peaceful life. It is a very useful and cunning tool for the evil one. Fear can attack through things like self-confidence (fear of not being able to do something), self-worth (fear of not being good enough), relationships (fear of disappointing others, making others angry, rejection, or punishment), finances (fear of not having enough money or fear of letting it go), or simply in the fear of the unknown. In my life, I have felt the attack of fear come in a number of these different forms. Maybe you have felt fear attack you in some of these ways as well. Or maybe you've seen it in others. Ironically, sometimes it's easier to see fear's hold on other people before we notice its hold on ourselves.
When I began looking at fear to see the affect it has on our lives, I came up with three main affects. It either paralyzes us, make us run the other way (becoming disobedient), or it imprisons us. The idea that fear paralyzes struck me first because that's the affect it usually has on me. How many times have I come to a fork in the road and stopped dead in my tracks? I don't want to go to the left because that path doesn't really appeal to me. I like the paths straight ahead and to the right but each one seems risky and full of uncertainties. I don't move in any direction because something holds me back. Excuses! And what ultimately drives excuses? Fear! I go nowhere and fear has done its job. (Or shall I say the evil one has accomplished his mission.)
In the Bible I found another, more detrimental, affect that fear can have. It relates to how we respond to God and His promptings. Has God ever asked you to go down a path you were afraid to go down? What was your reaction? Did you follow in love and obedience or did fear make you run the other way (acting in disobedience)? Running and disobedience are reactions based on fear not reactions based on love and trust. Allowing fear to control our decisions has a detrimental affect on our relationship with God. There are consequences to putting our own fears above God's plan. Jonah feared the people of Nineveh more than he trusted in God and landed in the belly of a big fish. I believe God wants to trust our willingness to serve Him. But how can He do that if every time something comes up we side with fear?
Fear also imprisons us. The more we allow it to control our lives and the decisions we make, the less we are able to enjoy the freedom that God intended for us. There is much more on the topic of imprisonment I will dig into in Part 2 of this series. But for now I think it's helpful to recognize that we all have fear. How we allow fear to affect our lives can be a determining factor in what kind of life we live. God doesn't want us to be controlled by fear but rather controlled by love, faith and trust. In Genesis, God reassured Abram with this promise: "I am your shield. Your very great reward.". Removing fear and replacing it with God's promise (that He is our shield - our very great reward) could have a dramatic affect and fundamentally change how we live our lives. We could become more than conquerors.
Proverbs 29:25 - Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
Romans 8:15 - For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.
1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
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