Fear Vs. Fear

Fear - A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc. whether the threat is  real or imagined. 

We live in an imperfect world.  Within this imperfect world, there is a myriad of imperfect people.  You and I fit into this category whether you want to accept that or not.  There also happen to be people in this world who are imperfect and have the ability to be extremely dangerous.  Last week was a representation of that during the shooting in Newtown, CT.  It is hard for us to trust our surroundings and also to trust people that are complete strangers to us.  Whether you want to admit it or not, we all live in fear.  Fear of the unknown.  Fear of our surroundings.  Fear of strangers.  Fear.  Fear is the emotion aroused by a perceived threat whether it is real or imagined.

The other day I went on a longer run.  I decided to run a loop outside of the city limits here in THE Iowa Park, Texas.  The loop was on back country roads without a single car on these roads.  A thought hit me as I was running.  It was a fearful thought.  What if something happens to me out here?  I became fearful.  I picked up the pace because of this imagined fear and kept running.  After a few more minutes of thinking things through, I realized something: if we live in constant fear about something that may or may not happen, then how can we ever live?  This world is 110% imperfect and there is nothing we can do to change that.  HOWEVER, there is a God in heaven who is 110%-times-infinity-plus-one who is perfect.

So, lets take a 180 on things.

Fear - reverential awe, especially towards God.

The only fear that we should have in this world is the fear of God Himself.  Here's the thing: Perfect love drives out fear.  What is perfect love?  Perfect love is God.  God drives out fear.  If we are consistently seeking after God who is perfect love and He says that perfect love drives our fear, then the only fear we should have is the fear of God.  A reverential awe towards a being high above, all around, and in everything that surrounds us.  A reverential awe for a being who created us out of dust and will return us to dust one day.  A reverential awe towards a being who created the entire universe and all that it contains.  A reverential awe of the one and only God and the one and only perfect thing in this imperfect world.

Don't live in fear or things out of your control.  You will never truly live if you are fearful about everything.  Live in fear of God.  A fear like none other.  A fear that, believe it or not, will allow you to live without fear.

Kelsey J.