a fresh look at fear...

I'm a very fearful person. I always have been, only now my fears have moved from being the tangible fears of children, to being more abstract. Not to say I don't fear a roach in my apartment anymore...but all joking aside, I've been seeing more and more recently, how much fear rules my life. Fear of the future. Fear of failure. Fear of God not coming through for me. And oh-so-much-more. And what's my reaction to all that? I'm scared to death.

The Bible certainly addresses fear - all over the place:

Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed..."

Isaiah 43:1, "But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not...'"

Philippians 4:6, "do not be anxious about anything.."

These are a few examples that jump to mind, but by no means an exclusive list :-)

So, for most of my life, I've seen fear as evil - something to be repented of, to try and get away from. I've committed myself to memorizing verses such as the two above, and, in times of fear, repeating them over and over, hoping the fear will go away. And when it doesn't? Guess what? I'm more fearful.

Certainly, fear is a result of the Fall, but maybe it makes sense that we're afraid - living with all the sin around us!

What if God is not sternly shaking a fist at us, telling us, "do not be afraid!!"? What if he knows our fear, and therefore looks to be with us in that fear? Somehow, I've neglected to see the importance of what follows each of these admonitions not to fear..."For I will be with you." Or as we were talking about in my girls' Psalms study a few weeks ago,

"Even though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me"
(Psalm 23:4)

Talking through fear with some people recently, I've begun to see this picture of a gentle shepherd quietly telling us not to be afraid, because he's right there with us, holding us, rather as a mother comforts her child during a storm. It's not a harsh rebuke to not fear, but a gentle and comforting reminder that we are not alone, that the fear is natural, yet God is there. Maybe the distinction I'm making seems small, but the difference is huge and life-changing.

Surely Isaiah 42:3 is correct when it says, "a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench." Our God is not a harsh taskmaster, demanding stoic bravery, but he gently cares for us sinners, who are "bruised and broken by the fall", -and that includes fearfulness!

I pray that even as God reveals more of his grace to me in this lesson, He will enable me to show more of His grace towards the students in my life, and others around me.