Fear

Fear. The word alone causes one to shudder.

But we don't really consider the "fear" that does the most damage. We all recognize sudden fear - like when you think you're gonna be hit by a car, or when someone sneaks up behind you, or when you're watching a scary movie, or when you hear an unexpected noise late at night. But the really frightening fear is the fear we don't want to admit to - the fear that immobilizes us in everyday life and keeps us from being all that God intended us to be.

You know the fear... the fear that you'll lose your job or suffer some other negative repercussion if when asked about a project or a co-worker you tell the truth. Or the fear you feel when you don't have enough money to pay the bills and feel the only way to make it is to use all or part of your tithe. Or the fear you feel when someone you care about does something really annoying or hurtful and you just accept it because you're afraid they'll leave you if you tell them how you feel. How about the fear you feel when you think loved ones will resent you because you can't buy them what they want or need?

You know about those fears. The fears that push you around and make you feel less than victorious. The fears that make you feel self-conscious, that tell you you won't make it, or that make you think you're worthless or talentless or un-loveable or ugly or fat or skinny or whatever.

Fear is a trick to keep us from our blessings...fear of lack, fear of failure, fear of being hurt, fear of being alone. Fear will have you do and say dumb stuff.

If only we'd fear God as much as we fear everything and everyone else maybe we'd be afraid to think of ourselves or our lives in any way other than what His Word says. Maybe we'd trust Him enough to stop operating in the destructive debilitating fear and instead live in the reverent fear of the Lord. After all He's already given us all we need to win!

2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."