Fear: Good or Bad

I have been thinking a lot over the last two days about my message topic for Sunday: "What's Good about Fear?" 

Fear can be a terrible emotion to deal with.  I have moments and events in my life that I don't care to live over.  I remember well my first experience of fear (my first memory of it).  I was only six years old.  Everyday when I walked home from school an older boy on a bike chased me.  This lasted until my parents addressed it with the parents of the boy.  Even today I can still feel the sense of fear that would overcome me at such a young age.

Fear is a part of our emotional makeup.  I would guess that if you can't feel some level of fear then that would be abnormal.  Since we are created by God, fear must be a part of the plan of our creation.  Therefore we might say that fear itself is an emotion that God has given us for His holy purpose.

This leads me to believe that fear is a good thing and shouldn't be avoided.  As God's children we need to develop a healthy approach to the emotion of fear.  What message from God is fear trying to give us?  The Bible tells us that "The fear of God is the beginning of [both] knowledge and wisdom."  Knowledge is to know and wisdom is to practice what you know.  It is one thing to know fear, but another to respond in an appropriate and positive way to its dictates.  I know that the stove is hot, but it would be wise for me not to touch it.

It is therefore quite normal to have a healthy fear of God.  Why?  Isn't God all about love and doesn't the Bible say that "perfect love cast out fear."  This is true, but one must ask what is the motivator that turns one toward God's love in the first place.  Is it not a healthy fear of Him?  Our sinful nature does not allow us to desire God's love as long as we live according to its dictates.  If I live for the pleasures of myself then I am not aware of the magnitude of God's love for me; therefore I am not aware of its power to relieve me of all my fears.  It is fear itself that initiates the power of God's love; and once released into our lives it overpowers every fear.

In Sunday's message I will talk further to this topic.  I will discuss the impending judgment to come and how fear wants to play a part in reconciling the world unto God.  Judgment cannot be avoided.  It is better to experience a little bit of fear on this side of judgment then to stand before God condemned to hell.  Then real fear will set in.

Sobering thoughts!

Blessings,

-Leo