The Good Kind of Fear (12/31/12)

Shalom,

 

     Please begin by reading Psalm 90:3-12.

 

            First we’ll look at the root meanings of the word we translate as fear.  In the Hebrew it means dreadful and exceeding fear.  In the Greek it means exceeding fear and terror.  The Greek word is PHOBOS, which we use now as phobia.  Too many preachers and teachers in our day play off the “fear of the Lord” as only being in awe of his greatness.  Yes, this is part of fearing the Almighty God, but there should also be some healthy fear of his wrath in all of us.

            Both the Hebrew and the Greek have the added meaning of overwhelming awe and reverence, but primarily they mean to be exceedingly afraid.  We minimize the meaning of fearing our Lord by limiting its meaning to awe and wonder.  We have good reason to have a healthy fear of Yahweh.  Listen to Luke 12:4-5.  “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.  But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body has power to throw you into Hell.”  That our final judgment rests completely in the hands of our Creator should cause us fear.

 

            Psalm 90 offers some stern warnings and some sound advice.  Verse 12 is the key.  “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”  In godly wisdom and proper fear we find peace.  We may be uncertain about how our eternal future works, but we can be secure in the fact that it will be in the presence of our heavenly Father if we’ll obediently follow Jesus.  If we focus too much on the world and how to operate within its system, we’re not focusing on what’s good and right.  Yes, live well while you’re here, but know that this is not our home.

            We face many fears in our world.  The fear of change is probably one of the most prevalent.  The “old” way, no matter how miserable it makes us or how ineffective it is, seeks to get us hung up in the familiar.  Of course for the most part, the old is more comfortable and less frightening than the new.  But Yahweh warned us about getting stuck in old ways in Ecc 6:10.  “Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’  For it is not wise to ask such questions.”  Things are constantly changing in our world, but our Lord remains the same.  Trusting him to guide us can help us overcome our fear of change.

            In health matters, crisis is frequently the warning that tells us it’s time to change.  It may be that we have to change our eating habits “or else” go on medication for diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, or heart problems.  It just might be that our clothes don’t fit anymore, bringing our conscience to be screaming at us to get into better shape.  It may be that we seem to be picking up every cold, flu, and virus that comes along. Have you ever been sick and tired of being sick and tired?  Again, trusting in our Lord and the way he told us to live can go a long way toward us living a healthier life.

            A super cautious mother always wore a gauze mask when coming near her baby and insisted that all visitors do likewise.  Several older and wiser women tried to tell her tactfully that she was carrying things too far, but the young mother insisted on having her way.  One day the mother mentioned that she thought her baby was beginning to cut a tooth and she wished she could find out about it in some way.

            A friend with several children of her own said, “Why, just put your finger in his mouth and..”  There was a horrified expression on the young mother’s face.  The friend quickly added, “Of course, you should boil your finger first.”  After a good laugh, the two shared some sound advice and the young mother agreed she was being over-protective.

 

            What fears keep us from being our best for our Lord and Master?  Some common ones are:

            Fear of the Unknown:  We’re most at ease when we’re completely familiar with our surroundings and sure of what the future holds for us.  As a result, fear of the new, the unseen, can paralyze us.  This fear can actually keep us from experiencing new things from our Lord.  The promise of Isa 26:3 can help us.  “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”

            There’s no way to go through this life without encountering some new things.  The unexpected happens all the time.  None of us is so intelligent or prepared that we’ll always know what’s coming next.  The fear of the unknown is a deeply seated fear that prevents us from taking control of our lives and shaping them to suit us. It is a fear that keeps us average, keeps us doing all the same things everybody else is doing, simply because it is the familiar thing to do.  It keeps us from growing and maturing in our faith and causes us to miss the good adventures the Holy Spirit leads us into.

            When we accidentally touched the hot stove burner or iron as a child, our inborn safety center learned from that. When we strayed too far from our parents and they called us back with that tone of worry and fear in their voices, that safety center in our head heard it and learned.  Unfortunately, most people's safety centers have gone a little too far in their learning. The lesson you probably internalized was "if it is unfamiliar, it could be dangerous. Only trust the things you know."

            The result of this, is that when we get too close to the edge of what's familiar, our brain sends off all the same warning signals and red flags that it would if we absentmindedly got too close to the hot stove.  It's there to protect us, but it also is keeping us fenced into a safe little circle away from opportunity and growth.  We overcome this by trusting in the still small voice of the Spirit.  He’ll ensure that we learn and grow, that we experience new things, that we stay safe while stepping out beyond our self-imposed limits.

 

            Fear of Failure: This is particularly crippling for those who expect to do everything right the first time.  It’s especially overwhelming to those who cling to memories of past failures.  Atychiphobia, the fear of failure, is often one of the most paralyzing phobias.  Sometimes, we're so concerned about failing that we don't try an activity we want to try.  Other times our fear of failure is so strong we subconsciously undermine our own efforts so we don't have to continue to try.  This is why many have linked it with the fear of success. Like so many other fears, this phobia is often so strong it brings about the very failure that was feared.

            We need to focus on what we learned from these situations, instead of the failure itself.  This often keeps us from believing our God is able, and puts us in a dangerous position according to Rom 14:23.  “Everything that does not come from faith is sin.”  The best way to beat fear of failure is to face the things you fear, gradually, accepting that failure is simply necessary for success.  Successful people look at mistakes as outcomes or results, not as failure. Unsuccessful people look at mistakes as permanent and personal.  Buckminster Fuller wrote, “Whatever humans have learned had to be learned as a consequence only of trial and error experience. Humans have learned only through mistakes.”

            Most people self-limit themselves. Most people do not achieve a fraction of what they are capable of achieving because they are afraid to try because they are afraid they will fail.  Never forget what 1 John 4:18 speaks to us.  “There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear.”  If we walk in faith and trust that our Creator only has what’s best in mind for us, we can be successful in following his guidance.  That doesn’t mean we won’t make mistakes along the way, but that we’re working to be as obedient as possible and therefore don’t have to be afraid of where he leads us.

 

            Fear of Society:  There are people who won’t go out of their houses because something bad might happen.  Others shield their children from everything they possibly can, not allowing them to learn from their mistakes like we all need to.  The promise of Prov 3:5-6 can help us overcome this fear.  “Trust in Yahweh with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”  We live in a fallen world, a world full of people with free will.  We’re warned that there are troubles and persecutions and dangers that we’ll have to face.  The perfect world is yet to come.  For the meantime we have to trust in our Lord’s protection over our soul.

            Some Christian families totally separate themselves from the culture.  Some do it to try to keep their children from being corrupted by the world system.  Some do it out of fear that their children will be corrupted.  If we trust our Lord to guide us, we can be involved in activities out in the world.  If we listen to the Spirit’s voice we won’t get overly caught up in the bad stuff.  We should all be carefully considering, and prayerfully seeking the Spirit’s guidance, when it comes to what we involve ourselves in.

            There are many types of phobia which can be manifested in the fear of society.  Christians shouldn’t be caught up in any of them.  If we trust our Lord to watch over our souls, we can enter into interaction with the world without worrying about being totally corrupted by it.  In fact, part of our Kingdom work is to spread the influence of our faith around.  We can’t do that without stepping into the corrupted world.

 

            A moderate sense of fear may be considered to be normal, even healthy.  It may simply be an awareness of impending danger, a natural defense mechanism.  It may just be a pounding heart, flushed face, and sweaty palms in anticipation of doing something we’re unsure of or uncomfortable with.  Fears may be a reaction to imagined or real circumstances.  What we have to do is ensure that we don’t let them stop us from serving our Lord and Master.  Fears can be extremely overwhelming and cause us great trouble.  But they don’t have to stop us from obeying our call to share the Gospel.

            In our society we’re very concerned with safety: safety on the highway, in the home, at work, concerning our retirement.  We carry insurance for all sorts of things, and we make sure our premiums are paid up.  That’s the wise thing to do.  But what about eternity?  Are you making plans, do you have any insurance for the afterlife?

            The bottom line is that Christians don’t have to fear the wrath of Yahweh or his judgment for sin.  If you’re fearful, you can’t enjoy your salvation because you’ll always be filled with doubt instead of joy.  If you’re fearful, you can’t enjoy your brothers and sisters, the beautiful fellowship our Lord designed for our good.  If we believe and trust in the Father, Son, and Spirit - fear should no longer cause us any harm or have any lingering effects.  Don’t let the fears and anxieties of this life rob you of the Father’s grace and love.  Fear the Lord with right heart, not all this other negative stuff.  Trust him to guide you and lead you along a safe path, the path he’s prepared for each and every one of us.

 

            Blessings & Peace,  Mike