Fear our Fears

[Rockinbigdaddy]

Face Our Fears

What frightens you? This question is one of great importance because whatever we fear we are bound to worship. If we fear failure, we worship success; If we fear uncertainty, we will worship control; and if we fear pain, we will worship comfort. Facing our fears requires us to be honest about what we truly worship.

1 Peter 5:6-9 gives us a framework when faced with fear. Rather than deny the presence of distress and our desire to create security independently, Peter reminds us to place our anxieties in the hands of the Lord saying,

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”

In this passage, there are several practical applications when it comes to experiencing fear. First, Peter instructs his readers to humble themselves under the Lord. The original Greek definition for the word humble is to dismiss self-reliance and become fully-dependent on God (BibleHub). How easy it is to attempt to face fear in our strength. The result of such efforts often increases our discouragement and prolongs our worry over what we cannot change.

As we learn to acknowledge our limitations and need for God’s authority over our lives, we are enabled to rest in our dependency and trust in His sovereignty. In doing so, we are more open to bringing our anxiety to the Lord and casting those burdens onto the One who strengthens us.

Finally, Peter exhorts us as believers to be mindful of Satan’s tactics. In the context of fear, we can approach worry with the awareness that Satan is seeking to distort and disrupt the security of our eternal safety. Yet, as we resist, pressing into our faith, we are comforted by the fact that we are not alone.