Deuteronomy 1:21-33
Do you struggle with fears? If so, have you ever tried to identify the root of the fears?
Our Scripture passage relays how the children of Israel were told to go up and possess the land. The message from the Lord was, “Do not fear or be discouraged. Go.”
The children of Israel had certainly seen the Lord move on their behalf many times including the crossing of the Red Sea, food and water provided in the wilderness, and guidance with a fire by night and a cloud by day to name just a few provisions. Instead of obeying, they came up with their own plan – send out spies to search out the land. Even with the good report of some of the spies and the evidence of fruit they brought back from the land the people rebelled. They still would not go up. They fell into fear, complaining and rebelling. The root was lack of trust.
The New Testament tells us in II Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and a sound mind.” Fear is not from our Father, so it has to be planted by our own thoughts or triggered by our enemy Satan.
Recently, I saw a checker in the grocery store wearing sunglasses and a magnifying glass on a cord around her neck. As a nurse, I was trained to observe the physical. These objects would indicate something wrong with her eyes. I have been privileged to see several people with eye problems healed and I felt the urge to ask her what was wrong and to offer to quickly pray for her. (there was no one behind me in line.)
I let the fear of, “What will she think override the prompting.” I did not walk into my fear. I repented later in the car and considered going back, but knew I had lost an opportunity to take the name of Jesus into the market place. Whether or not she had a serious eye problem, I think she would have been touched that a stranger was moved with compassion for her. I have determined to act on the nudges I get and remember what the Lord has done in other situations, when I have walked into my fear rather than letting my fears walk all over me.
Let us resolve to examine the root of our fears and determine to rule them rather than let them rule us. Let us face and walk into our fears.
© Peggy Park
