Fear

At some point or another, we all feel fear. Fear is traditionally considered a negative emotion, but it actually serves an important role in keeping us safe, as it moves us to cope with potential danger. Sometimes when we think of fear, feelings of guilt aren’t far behind—after all, if we are feeling fear then that must mean we aren’t trusting God enough. As we read through the Scriptures, we learn a lot about how God can help us overcome fear and learn to trust Him more and more. Fear is one of the seven universal emotions. All people on earth will at some point feel fear; while this emotion is part of us, we need to remember that it is not part of the Spirit.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

The Scriptures are filled with account after account of God using flawed people to fulfill His purposes. One of the things God helped David overcome was fear. Fear may not be the word that comes to mind when we think of David—this is the man who defeated the giant Goliath when no one else would even dare to face him. But a large part of David’s life was spent running and hiding in caves while King Saul chased after him; hiding in caves began out of fear of a foreign king.

“So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. ‘Isn’t this David, the king of the land?’ they asked. ‘Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands”?’
David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard. Finally, King Achish said to his men, ‘Must you bring me a madman? We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?’” (1 Samuel 21:10-15)

David was so afraid of what King Achish might do to him that he pretended to be insane to escape. Have you ever resorted to such behavior? Have you ever been so overcome and driven by fear that you begin to act in a way you never would under normal circumstances? I remember going to a theme park as a young boy with one of my good childhood friends. I’ve never been one for rollercoasters but my friend and his father were going to ride the largest one in the park and I finally thought I had mustered up enough courage to join them. We waited in line and I made it all the way up to the coaster, but when it came time to get on board I was overcome with fear. I started to beg and even cry in front of my friend. I knew I looked as much a fool as I felt, but I was willing to do anything to not have to ride that rollercoaster. To this day, I still shake my head at that memory, at what a cry-baby fool I made of myself, but I was overcome with fear. Just like David, I was willing to do whatever it took to get out of that situation.

“So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men.” (1 Samuel 22:1-2)

While David let fear control him in that moment, God had a plan through it. Before long, David found himself with an army of 400 men. Being overcome with fear did not define who David was; he was still the strong and brave leader God made him to be—after all, you don’t command the respect and obedience of 400 men by being a fearful person. The same is true for us: if we react to a situation out of fear, it doesn’t mean that we are a fearful person. It does not define who we are—God defines who we are. What began out of a response to fear ended with David leading more than 400 men; together, David and this army were able to protect towns and defeat the enemies of God. God will always work through our shortcomings to fulfill His purpose.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.” (Psalm 27:1-3)

“I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. (…) The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken! Calamity will surely destroy the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.” (Psalm 34:4-7 & 17-22)

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)

David’s time was not wasted hiding in those caves. He learned that he never had a reason to be afraid and he passed on those lessons through numerous psalms. Through it all God was working for David’s good and He does the same for us. Remember that God is always with you. Read what David learned and passed on to us through the Psalms: that God will free us from all of our fears, that no shadow of shame will darken our face, that the Lord is our light and salvation so we have no reason to be afraid, He is our fortress Who protects us from danger. Our enemies and those who attack us will stumble and fall and even if a mighty army surrounds us, we do not need to be afraid. We can remain confident in our great God and know that we have no reason to fear.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed