Fear: An unpleasant,
often strong emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is
dangerous or a threat.
While laying
in bed one night I learned that fear
is a strong motivator. I was just drifting off to sleep and out of the corner
of my eye I saw something move. I knew the doors were locked and no one else
was supposed to be in our room. I immediately yelled in my biggest man voice
(actually more like a scream of total panic) and jumped up ready to face the
intruder (and run past him out the door with wife and kids in hand). Turns out
the air condition had kicked on and what I thought was an intruder was just a
curtain blowing in the wind. My wife got a good laugh out of it and so did I.
But for that split second my belief that an intruder poised an imminent threat
to my family took me over and caused me to react.
I learned that
when fear gets a hold of you it drives everything. Your thinking, your
decisions, and your actions all change when you’re afraid of something. At the root of fear is a belief that imminent
danger is lurking around the corner and that you had better do something about
it. When I saw what I thought was a man standing in our room my adrenaline
kicked in and the fight or flight response took over until my sense of danger
was gone (then humiliation kicked in!)
Fear is not a bad thing at all. On the
contrary, it’s a God-given emotion that is intended for our good. Fear when
based on Truth can save your life. But when fear is based on a belief that
is distorted by deceit and sin, it can destroy it as well.
I think a lot
of us today are fearful (full of fear). Why shouldn’t we be? We are bombarded
by evil day in and day out. Just turn on the news and you will see story after
story of murder, corruption, and disaster. America today is a fearful place.
We’re afraid of losing our jobs, losing our homes, losing our families. We are
afraid to send our children to school or to let them go to the movie theater.
We are afraid of what the government might do (or not do). Most of all I think
we are afraid that we are not going to be ready if things go from bad to worse.
Our belief in
the next crazy gunman, the next economic depression, the next fiscal cliff, the
next unconstitutional law or corrupt political leader is motivating our
thinking, our decisions, and our actions. That’s why you see TV shows like
“Doomsday Preppers” or you get heated nationwide debates about gun control or you see
things like the fiscal cliff or the Petraeus affair making headlines for weeks.
These things are important and the danger is real but aren’t we missing
something?
What about our
belief in the all powerful, all knowing, totally sovereign, Holy, just, merciful, loving God of the
universe? Where has the good fear of our
Great God gone in the midst of all the other stuff? Why is that fear not
motivating our thinking, our decisions, and our actions first and foremost? Psalm
111:10 says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
Healthy fear of
God is the beginning of healthy thinking, healthy decisions, and healthy
actions. So when dealing with our fears let’s remember to start with the fear
of God and then work out what we should think, decide and do in light of who He
is and what He says. “A good understanding have all those who do His
commandments; His praise endures forever”.
What America
needs more than gun control, “Preppers” or new economic policy is for Christ
followers to live like we actually know and follow Christ. We need people who
understand who God is and obey what He says. We need people who are not
overcome by evil but “overcome evil with Good.” (Romans 12:21). A good
understanding of God is evidenced by a healthy fear of sin and obedience to His
word. We need to be the voice of truth among our culture today proclaiming to
them the Truth of the Gospel.
America is afraid of the wrong things. We need to fear God so we will turn from
our sin and accept His Son as payment for them. Why? Because even when the end of our lives, our
country and even the world does come crashing down one thing will remain
unchanged; His praise will ring out forever.
“The
conclusion, when all has been heard is; fear God and keep His commandments,
because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment,
everything which is hidden, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. This
imminent danger of God’s judgment is real for everyone everywhere. Therefore
everyone needs to know about the only way we can have peace with God and
forgiveness of sin. First let’s live like we revere (good fear) Him by keeping
His commandments. Then let’s go tell the world about our Great God and Savior
Jesus Christ who is the answer to the fear they live in. God’s love and forgiveness brings real peace
to our lives; “Perfect love drives out all fear” 1st John 4:18.
Let’s start leveraging everything in our lives to make disciples who make
disciples who make disciples. If we do that together we will change our country
and our world for the Glory of God, one person at a time.
Thankfully in
Grace,
Shannon
Compton
BCC Life Groups Pastor
BCC Life Groups Pastor
