Whom Shall I Fear?

The Lord is my light 
and my salvation-
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold 
of my life-
Of whom shall I be afraid?
         Psalm 27:1







Fear is a powerful force. It can motivate us to do great things, or stop us in our tracks. Fear has enabled the weak to run, and caused the strong to faint. Fear can save your life, or send you crashing to your death. Fear is, well, fearsome.

People handle fear in different ways. Some are energized by fear, so they tempt death. Others are so paralyzed by fear they lock themselves in their rooms. Most of us are somewhere in between.

I fear a few things. Snakes. Heights. Being lost. Drowning. Did I mention snakes? Though I fear these things, I do not allow them to control me. Enjoying the outdoors hunting and fishing, I encounter all of these fears. Were I to give in to them, I would miss out on some aspects of life which I enjoy most. Thankfully, my desire to enjoy God's Creation is stronger than my fears. I may carry a stick (for the snakes), but I don't let fear get in the way of living life.

Fear is universal.

Everyone is afraid of something. Crowds. Public speaking. Failure. Storms. You name it, someone is afraid of it. Some fears are founded in past experience, some are learned from others (my dad was deathly afraid of snakes), and some simply seem to be ingrained within us. Regardless of why, everyone has fears, even if they don't like to admit it.

Being afraid is not bad. Many times, in fact, it is essential. If we were not afraid of anything, undoubtedly we would find ourselves in some pretty precarious situations. Fear becomes a problem when it keeps us from enjoying life. God did not intend for us to live in fear. And we don't have to.

God conquers fear.

If indeed we believe in God as our light and salvation, what is there to fear? If God is our stronghold, what can stand against us? That is not to say a Christian should not be afraid of anything. As I said above, some fears are healthy (did I mention snakes?). But we should not be controlled by fear.

God told Joshua, Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9). Courage is action in face of fear. God did not tell Joshua not to fear, but rather to face his fears knowing that God was with him. Joshua faced a monumental task, and no doubt feared what lay before him. God knew this; that's why He told him to be courageous.

We also must face our fears.

We will encounter fear in our lives. As inevitable as sadness, grief, or pain, fear will find us. At that point, we have two choices. We can give in, or we can remember God's promise. The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. With God, we can face anything.

What do you fear?

Funny, serious, or otherwise, share what you fear, and how you deal with it. Maybe you can help me with mine. Did I mention snakes?