I am constantly aware of the amount of depression, anxiety, and fear our culture is living under. I always read about it through social media posts and see it in TV and magazine advertising. I hear about it from friends. I see it throughout the scriptures.
A few years ago, I conversed with a twenty-something who explained that they never answer the door if someone knocks, nor will they answer the phone. This was such an intriguing conversation. I asked why, and the response was fear-based, “I don’t know who it is.” I immediately reflected on why we answered the door or picked up the phone to find out who it was calling or knocking.
While processing this conversation, I noticed that the underlying tone was fear. They explained to me that their friends would only call after texting first to tell them they wanted to talk, and if a friend were coming over, they would never knock but text them to announce they were at their house. So they were filled with fear by a random call or knock at the door.
Living in fear can have real side effects on our health. I was reading just this week about fear’s impact on our bodies. Living under constant threat has serious health consequences. Fear weakens our immune system and can cause cardiovascular damage, gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome, and decreased fertility. It can lead to accelerated aging and even premature death.
I have no doubt this is why our creator tells us so many times in scripture not to fear. The funny thing is that when we have a nice piece of clothing, most of us look at the care instructions sewn into the garment to ensure we properly care for it. It might say never to use bleach or use cool water in the wash cycle, and then it might tell us to tumble dry with no heat, all with the goal of longevity of our clothing so we can have many years of use.
Why do we ignore God’s instructions and then seem surprised when our lives fall apart like a silk shirt cleaned with bleach? The bleach causes the fabric to denigrate and fall apart. Fear and anxiety cause our lives to fall apart. As a society, we seem to meditate on fear and not on the Word of God.
But here is the exciting concept: the Bible says we need to fear the Lord. It is incredibly bold to say in Proverbs 111:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” I can only speak for myself; I need more wisdom. Luke tells us that Mercy is for those who fear the Lord, and just like I need wisdom, I need Mercy, too.
What if the very thing we need to remove fear and anxiety from our lives is fear of the Lord? Could fear of the Lord be the very care instructions we are missing in our modern culture? This week at The Well, we will take a closer look at the fear of the Lord, cast off the world, and invite the Holy Spirit to meet us all as we pray and worship.
If you find yourself filled with anxiety this week, I encourage you to come and cast it upon the Lord and watch what the Holy Spirit can do with it. Proverbs 14:27 says, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life and that one may turn away from the snares of death.” I pray that we drink from the fountain of life this week at The Well to find wisdom and healing in ways we have never experienced before.
Pastor Chris