Dear Ones,
Hope you will have a peace-filled day. I plan to make an apple recipe and go to Exercise class and Craft Cuties and later to Bible Study. Having such gorgeous weather!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Fear is something perhaps we all struggle with in life, and it is something we have to learn to cope with it. Priest Ronald Rolheiser writes that we have ways to deal with sadness as in shedding tears, and deal with anger by shouting or doing something physical, but fear is different for there is no release valve for it. We have to wait and endure, and in the meantime, we can name our fear and pray that it would not dominate in our lives. When we acknowledge we have good fear, that is a sign of maturity and love; but we may also have to acknowledge we have bad fear, that is not good and blocks maturity.
   Rolheiser describes the healthy fear as a reverence and a loving awe, a love that doesn’t want to disappoint. We are to have that kind of fear for God, not that we are afraid of Him, but we can trust and reverence Him. It might be called holy fear that is inspired by love, and King David is a good example of that. In relation to others, we don’t want to disappoint them or betray them either.
Bad fear are those things that frighten us that do not come from God. We probably all have a list of those fears in the back of our mind and the enemy knows what things to put before us to rob us of our peace. He may bring up bad memories to cause more fear, but we are not to give heed to them but look to the Lord who is always open and waiting for us to come home to Him.
When fearful things come to my mind. I like to picture them as like a package I have wrapped and am handing to the Lord and asking Him to take it. The scripture comes to mind, “Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. (Matt. 11:28) To me the load of fear is very heavy, and I know the difference in my spirit when I give over to Him my fears. As the song goes that I love to sing when I am fearful, “Be not afraid I go before you always. Come follow Me and I will give you rest.” May we reverently fear the Lord but fling those bad fears into the Lord’s hands.
Challenge for today: When you have fearful situations, ask the Lord to go before you and clear the way.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy