Good Fear
A question was asked of me: Are there any good fears? Immediately, I knew the answer. Yes. I’ve posted a blog titled Fear Displaced which discusses how fear loses its place within us when we focus on Christ, but this question of good fears deserves a response for all to read as well. Good fear, in the context of this blog, is to revere God.
We Are Self-Important
There are many benefits to living in this day and age, especially in the United States. Many comforts are available. We’re free to be who we want to be and do what we want to do. It’s interesting to me that, along with the luxuries, arrogance is powerfully present. The more we have, the more we feel we deserve. The higher we achieve, the poorer we treat those we determine as less worthy. There is no reverence within to offer anyone or anything. It’s as if money, prestige, and wealth are the hierarchy of human existence. These have become the answers to many things, and yet they have brought us to a point of unintended self-importance and superiority.
We Simply Don’t Fear God
In our blessings, we’re losing sight of one another as created beings. We forget that we’re all people trying to make it through, day to day. We’re failing to respect each other, let alone lift one another up. However, this observation needs to go a step deeper. Our poor behavior all stems from a lack of reverence toward God. In our enjoyment of present day living, we have become our own focus. Simply said, we don’t fear Him.
We act as though we are the creator rather than the created, as though we deserve what we’ve worked so hard to achieve. We treat God as though He had nothing to do with our accomplishments, and in our disregard, have grown cold to reverence.
Come Close to God
However, I don’t want you to try, in your own power, to be kind to others, to appreciate what you’ve been blessed with, or to even revere God who has blessed you. I simply want you to come close to Him. I pray that you choose to look to Him, focus on Him, talk to Him, get to know Him, and grow in Him.
See Through God’s Eyes
When we are close to our Maker, when He becomes the center of our world, we can’t help but experience awe in Who He is and what He’s doing in and for our lives. Once we ask His Holy Spirit to fill us, His qualities overflow from within, bringing us to our knees in worship of His might and love. We revere Him so deeply that it becomes a part of our very being. This relationship allows us to gain a respect for those He has also created. We see through God’s eyes and have compassion on others and their circumstances, and through His heart, we offer love and kindness.
God, Open Our Eyes to You
I pray that God opens our eyes and ears, not so that we live in fear of failure, but so that we can embrace fear, reverence, for Him, the Maker of heaven and earth, sea and sky, and the Creator of each one of us.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to share and encourage others. How do you feel about the fear (reverence) of God? Do you have additional observations? Comment down below. Click here to read Fear Displaced!