Fearing The Right Thing
Truth be told, I regularly struggle with fear and anxiety. Not sure where it came from (although I can certainly speculate) or why my generation seems so anxious about everything. Over the past two weeks, basically every aspect of my life has changed. Good change too. Honestly, in some ways, an answer to prayers. With all the changes, people have asked countless times “Are you excited?” and, while there is an excitement about the next chapter I am about to step into, there is also a fair amount of fear for the upcoming chapter of my life.
Fear is a nasty paralytic that causes people to freeze in their tracks or run away from whatever they are facing. People make terrible decisions during times of fear, decisions that often only serve to protect their own self interest. For the Christian, fear causes us to doubt the promises, sovereignty, and loving nature, as we doubt that God can do what He says He can do. Fear leaves us in a precarious situation where we act against our faith and doubt the promises and goodness of God. Our issue is not that we fear but that we fear the wrong things and hold too little a view of God.
Fear Of The Lord Is The Beginning of Wisdom
Scriptures make it clear that the only thing worth fearing is the Lord. Many other things in this world will seem scary and worthy of our fear, but only one thing truly is worth fearing. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28, ESV) Make no mistake, I am not trying to downplay the struggles or anxieties that others feel or endure, but rather want only to put them in perspective. The things we fear in this world are insignificant compared to the richness of following the promises of God and the blessing of eternal life that comes from Christ alone. The fear of anything other than the Lord holds too small of a view of God that the temporary pain and struggle would be worth more than the eternal relationship with Jesus Christ who decides our everlasting fate.
Furthermore, this fear of God is not necessarily a bad thing. Understanding the proper personhood and nature of God will serve us well for everything we are called towards Him as He supplies us with the wisdom and understanding we need in this world. Fear of the Lord lays down the foundation of our faith and postures us to bow before our King. “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:5-7, ESV) There is wisdom in understanding the fullness of God’s power and glory. Fearing the Lord comes from true encounters with God resulting in our humbly bowing before the Lord, knowing that we stand in the presence of the King over all creation and the ruler of all things. The realization of the nature and person and God puts down the foundation of our submission to Him as our Lord and Savior.
The Lord Will Not Leave Us In Fear
For as much as fear is the beginning of wisdom as it keeps our understanding and reverence of God in its proper place, it is important to know that we are not asked to stay in fear. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, ESV) For the throne of Kings, people do not show up uninvited without fear of retribution for the King. Yet, for the King of Kings, we are welcomed in to the throne room of God not as vassals, peasants, or servants but instead as dearly beloved children. We understand that God can fully eradicate us from existence if He so pleases but He instead bids us to approach Him confidently and fully. God wants to be in full relationship with us. For all the power and might that God has within Him to do all things in all places at all times, God instead chooses to lavish His grace and love upon us.
God does not want us to remain in fear. God’s reveals Himself as loving to us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom as it postures us to receive the teaching and wisdom directly from God, but we do not stay in fear but instead move towards the unending love and grace that comes from God. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:18, ESV). We do not need to fear the threats of this world as our God has reigns victorious over all creation. We do not need to cave in to the demands of fear because the only thing worth fearing welcomes us into His presence as an act of grace as dearly beloved children. Fear of this world will have no hold on us as the only thing worth fearing fights on our behalf and bears the burdens of our sin upon Himself.
For me, with everything I am stepping in to, success will be determined by God’s ability to perform, not mine. My role will be to trust that God will provide the inspiration, equipping, and ability to do what I truly believe God has called me to do. This will not be a season where I can rest upon myself or my training, skills or internal quality but instead must trust the person God has shaped and formed me to be. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Yet God will not leave us in fear. We can trust God’s omnipotent nature to do what He says He will do and equip us for the task in front of us. More than likely, I will still go through times of fear and anxiety. But they will be reminders to me that my God, the God who conquered death and sets up my eternity with him will not fail.
