“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 9:10

Overcoming Fear

At the onset of World War 2 Franklin Roosevelt, in an address to the nation, said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Fear is a tricky emotion. Healthy fear is a good thing. It is the natural response to a perceived threat. Without it we would never survive. But fear of failure can prevent us from making any necessary changes in our lives. It can keep us from living out our dreams. Embarking on a great dream may be a bit scary, but when we confront our fears and work our way through to a successful conclusion we build confidence in ourselves. We feel stronger and more alive. To the believer, the fear of God is not so much a fear of God himself, but of the consequences of disobeying God’s laws, much like children fear the punishment of their parents when they have misbehaved. True fear of God is based in love. It is a combination of reverence, humility, and the knowledge that God lives in us. So let us own our fears, learn how to use them, and they will become our friends.

lhart@gwi.net