Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 17:1-11, 26-32, 38-51 (day five)
When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. 17:11
We all lack courage to some degree. Underneath our outer appearances are varying degrees of doubt and insecurity that turns to fear; e.g. what others think about us, sharing our faith, relationships, sickness, the future. From the beginning in Genesis, we see the effects of human insecurity and doubting of God’s Words and His promises.
David had a courageous heart- trusting God’s Word and promises. “Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” Fear kept the Israelites from trusting God’s promises and His power. Fear does the same to us. We must ask God for courage. If we don’t, then the giants will always seem too big and the voices (internal and external) of doubt and fear will cause us to hide and keep us from the work of God.
Grant us wisdom grant us courage: For the facing of this Hour, For the living of these days, Lest we miss Your Kingdom’s goals, That we fail not them nor Thee, Serving You Whom we adore.
Fear or worry is nothing more than a negative state of mind. Both are nature to our human lives. Fear can be as much an ally as it can be an enemy. It presents both an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on how we do about it. And fear of fear can keep us locked in a cage of insecurity.
Everyone has his or her own fears and worries depending on his or her cultures, personal and work experience and education. Without fears and worries, we cannot learn, develop and grow; however, in my view, it will be a self-defeat if we allow for fears or worries to drive our inactions or if we do nothing to counteract to our current negative state of minds and emotions.
So the question for us is what action we must consider to help us overcome fear or worry and turn it to personal and professional development and to victory.
I thought the articles below can help enhance our understanding about fear and worry.
Fear and Worry
Anuradha Dinesh Hettiarachchi | Mar 23, 2018
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fear-worry-anuradha-dinesh-hettiarachchi
Don’t Be Paralyzed by Fear! | HuffPost
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-cynthia-thaik/fear_b_4582203.html
Generally speaking, taking appropriate strategies and actions to counteract to specific fear or worry helps us focus on compliance or obedience or do things right from the start.
Fear God, for example, helps us focus on God’s commandments or eliminating spiritual sins. Fear of failure in social interaction forces us to understand cultural diversity. Fear of organizational performance failures forces us to comply with supervisory instructions and performance expectations.
Fear demonstrated by Saul’s soldiers and perceived by the Philistine, in my view, was the fear due to their status of minds and emotions. This type of fear became a self-defeating ordeal for Saul’s soldiers. Fortunately enough, God came to their rescue and provided them a courageous and God-spirited David to turn from their self-defeating situation to victory for God’s people, the Israel.
It takes vision and courage to win a fear battle. Remind us how unhealthy fear can bring if we don’t take appropriate actions to help overcome it in order for us to achieve targeted outcomes. If we follow God’s guidance to steer our daily lives, nothing to fear! Fear will become irrelevant.
How do you deal with your own fears? How do you view fears?
Good article on Facing Fear and Finding Freedom
https://www.joycemeyer.org/everydayanswers/ea-teachings/facing-fear-and-finding-freedom