Whom do I fear?

Psalm 27, 56:1-7, Proverbs 29:25, Luke 12:4-5, II Corinthians 1:3-6

Dear God,

I am afraid.  Repeatedly, Your Word tells me to “fear not.”  Repeatedly, You speak comfort and hope to me in the middle of my fears.  Thank You for loving me even when I am afraid.  “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.”

I fear confrontation with angry people.  I fear failure.  I fear hurting or displeasing others. You tell me not to fear people.  You even tell me that if I fear people, I trap myself in snares that prevent me from living my life to the maximum.  I fear the wrong thing!  Such a fear minimizes and distracts me from fearing the right things!  “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.”

You tell me not to fear my enemies.  You fight my battles for me.  You vindicate Your saints.  I need Your angel armies right now.  The battle is too big for me.  I tremble with fear.  Hurry up! “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.”

You tell me not to fear Satan, the tempter and destroyer.  He attacks as an archer, a crouching and roaring lion, and as an angel of light.  Grant me discernment to recognize his attacks.  “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.”

You tell me that I must trust You with a holy, reverential awe that You call “fear.”  This sort of fear reminds me of the fear I have toward my earthly father.  I don’t want to disappoint Dad.  I don’t want to mar the name Dad gave me–his name.  I want to honor Dad and create a legacy that tells the story of Dad’s greatness, righteousness, holiness, honor, love, and leadership.  Heavenly Father, I reverence You.

The sort of fear that You command me to give You is more than a fear of momentary disappointment or discipline.  This fear is a “big picture” fear.  It is a fear of a life poorly lived.  It is a fear of wasting my life on things You judge as worthless.  This reverential fear will draw me to worship You with more than a moment of guilt-induced remorse or externally stimulated euphoria.  Reverential awe will be the fuel in my engine of desire to live a life pleasing to You.  Reverential awe motivates me to build a life that You value.  I fear Your judging my life as inconsequential in light of eternity. “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.”

I want to live a life which You deem as consequential.  I will invest my time and energy in souls, Your Kingdom, preparing my family to meet You and to spend eternity in heaven.  Accept my fear as an act of reverential awe, worship, and trust in You!

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You,” the God of all comfort,
Amen.