Living in Fear or Living by Faith

Living in Fear or Living by Faith
Read Proverbs 26-31
Probers 38:1, “The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”

We live in a culture of fear. We have become fixated on what we should fear. Some things are seen as existential threats, such as global warming, pandemics, and weapons of mass destruction. Other things are seen as a threat to our health and safety: crime, our diet, and the attack of terrorists. Other things are seen as threats to our way of life: the geopolitical landscape, the nation's political leaders, and economic instability. As Frank Furedi, in his book How Fear Works, points out, “Fear itself has become politicized to a point where debate is rarely about whether or not we should be fearful, but about who or what we should fear.” In this world, even the most mundane and tedious events of life bring fear and require vigilant monitoring, for behind the mundane lurk unknown risks and dangers.

Probers warns us of the dangers of fear. When we become captured by fear, it becomes a snare to our lives. Proverbs 29:25 reads, “The Fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.”  The verse can refer either to one who fears what others may do or to the fear within him. Both are fitting when we fear others or the circumstances around us; they become a snare in our lives. When we become driven by fear, we become apprehensive not only about real threats, but we also become governed even by the threats that our not real. Proverbs 28:1, The wicked flee when no one is pursuing.”  In other words, the fears we imagine become real in our minds, and so we become governed by anxiety. However, the one who trusts in the Lord finds security, not because there is no threat, but because we recognize that the infinite power of God is greater than all threats and that he controls our lives so that instead of living in bondage to fear, we have boldness. Thus, 28:1 goes on to state that “the righteous are bold as a line.”  The term “bold” conveys the idea of firmness or solidarity, and it expresses the sense of well-being and security that comes when we have someone or something in whose whole we can place our trust and confidence. It speaks of a sense of safety and security that is unconcerned about the circumstances around us. When we are living in fear, it is not because the threats are not real, but because we have the wrong focus. When our focus is on threats, fear grips us, leaving us feeling vulnerable and unprotected, and life becomes uncertain. However, when our focus is on the infinite God and we recognize that he is in control of all things and governs the world and all the events in our lives, we can have absolute security. Therefore, we no longer need to be afraid.

But this confidence in the face of the fears of our world is grounded in another fear. This becomes the paradox. Security is not grounded in the absence of fear, but in the fear of the proper object. Throughout the Proverbs, we are commanded to fear. What we are to fear is God himself. The one who fears God finds complete security, even in the face of death itself (Proverbs 14:26-27; 16:6, 19:23). In today’s world, we fear everything but God, and the result is anxiety and insecurity. However, when we fear nothing but God, we no longer live in fear of the world, for we know who is in control. Our stability and security are not based on the absence of threats, but on our faith in God, who governs all the affairs of the universe and the events in our lives. Because of faith, instead of shrinking back in fear, we can have confidence, for we know that God is in control. If you find yourself governed by anxiety, apprehension, and fear. In that case, it is because you are looking at the wrong source for your security (i.e., politicians, financial portfolios, or your own abilities). Refocus upon the character of God, and you will have unrelenting security.