One thing that has been prevalent in our world the past 14 months more than in recent memory is fear.  Now fear is not necessarily a bad thing.  There are many times that we experience fear and it has a positive effect.  For instance, if you were visiting the Grand Canyon and enjoying the view from the Upper Rim, you would want to have a healthy fear of being careless around the edge.  On average three people fall to their death at the Grand Canyon annually.  In 2019 three people fell to their death off the South Rim in the span of eight days.  It does not take an expert to tell us to be careful not to fall into the Grand Canyon! If you have ever stood at the top, chances are your stomach told you not to get too close! 

In my opinion, the recent fear regarding COVID-19 is both good and bad.  It is good to be aware and take appropriate action to avoid getting this virus.  I don’t know anyone who desires to become sick.  There are many people who have had very serious complications due to the virus, including death.  And yet the majority of people who have contracted COVID-19 have weathered the virus without serious complications, including those who we have learned are asymptomatic.  Understanding the virus and having an informed response to avoid getting the virus is a healthy level of fear.  And yet, I think most people would look back and say that fear has played an unhealthy role as well in this pandemic.  

Obviously, there is a wide range of opinions on what is a healthy level of fear and what is not healthy.  In the early months when the medical experts did not know much at all about the virus, it was easier to understand the very dynamic response to contracting the virus.  But as facts and treatment regarding the virus have become more accurate and defined, fear has still played too large a role.  Now it is not prudent to characterize everyone’s situation as the same. However, I think most people can come up with at least a couple of examples where fear was either used or realized in a non-healthy way.  

Whether fear is reasonable and prudent or foolish and used for a particular outcome is not my main reason for this blog.  What I would rather focus on is how do we handle fear in our lives?  It has been said that “fear not” is mentioned 365 times in the Bible.  I started to look into this to get an accurate number.  Then I realized, I don’t need an accurate number.  I only need to understand that this command from God to “Fear not!” is very commonly stated throughout Scripture. 

As I looked at many of these passages it occurred to me that several of these “fear not” decrees were expressed when people were reacting normally to a very scary situation.  And most of these people already had a faith in God.  The lesson for these fearful people and for us is that what is normal in God’s plan for this world routinely contradicts humankind’s usual experiences.  Take the disciples in the storm from Matthew 8 as an example.  Fear motivating a person to action is a common occurrence in our world.  But what God is telling us is to let wisdom rule over the fear in our lives.  

Psalm 111 is a wonderful passage that I would suggest you spend some time meditating on.  In this Psalm, we are told to study the works of the Lord and remember how He has provided for His people.  At the conclusion of this Psalm in verse 10, we are told, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.  His praise endures forever!”  The unpretentious approach to God and faith in His Sovereignty gives God’s people the correct approach to the situations in life.  This clearly explains the difference between Saul’s response to the defiling cries of Goliath and David’s response.  David had confidence in God’s deliverance of His people.  Saul had a giant-sized problem in the way of his faith.  Make no mistake, this story was told to us in I Samuel 17 to clearly compare the heart of Saul and the heart of David.  

In the New Testament, we read about Peter and John’s response to the rulers and elders in Jerusalem.  Acts 4 records the first of several showdowns between Jesus’ disciples and the religious leaders of the day.  The disciples were faced with the decision to either act in submission and fear of the Lord or respond in fear of the religious elite.  Verses 19 & 20 record their response.  “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”  They chose to fear the Lord, and the wisdom that they were granted left the Jewish leaders with little to say.  Romans 13 tells believers to submit to those placed in authority over us.  And we are to behave in that manner.  And yet when placed in the position to either honor God or honor human authorities we must choose to honor the Lord.  

There is undoubtedly a possibility of fear or anxiousness in regards to a decision such as this.  Psalm 56:3-4 gives us the example of how David responded when faced with the temptation of fearful despair.  “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.  In God, whose Word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can flesh do to me?”  When David was tempted to be afraid he preached to himself the promises of God.  He knew and remembered God’s Word!  He held on to the promises of God with unwavering certainty.  It was not a matter of if he would be tempted to fear.  Rather it was when tempted to fear David put his trust in God and he found wisdom and comfort in the promises of God’s Word.  

Could it be that God is using the fearful situations in our lives to build up our faith in Him?  Are we truly holding onto the promises found in God’s Word?  Are you operating with Godly wisdom at the forefront of your life?  Let the Bible preach to you!  Lest we find ourselves living in contrast to James 1:22, “Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”  May it be said of us that we trusted fully in God and His Word!