Fear, a starting point towards power

Many people suffer because they prefer to do things on their own. They rely too much on themselves and their own strength. They look to God as a last resort. They do not take advice, and do not seek wisdom from Him. They insist on doing things their own way, using their own inadequate resources.

The writer of Proverbs gives us a sound warning: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3: 5). The principle of wisdom will always lie in a sober recognition of our immense limitations, our essential fragility, at the same time that we are overwhelmed by the sense of unlimited wisdom, the infinite power, of the God we serve and in whom we move and are. . That is why the Bible also repeatedly says, "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord" (Psalm 1: 7).

In fact, not just fear of Jehovah, but fear itself, can be a good starting point for a crisis or tragedy. David puts it this way: "In the day that I fear, I trust in you" (Psalm 56: 3). In the case of this king and warrior, the fear of his enemies serves as a platform to declare his trust in the Lord. The recognition of his weakness prompts him to put his hope in God, who is his shield and defense.

The Bible tells of another great king who experienced great fear when he learned of a mighty army that was approaching irresistibly to Judah to invade and destroy it (2 Chronicles 20). In this case, the very desperate nature of the situation forced King Jehoshaphat to go directly to the throne of God to ask for help and to receive wisdom. Verse 3 of this chapter informs us: “Then he was afraid; and Jehoshaphat humbled his face to consult Jehovah. Jehoshaphat was not frozen in the posture of terror. From there he leaped into the arms of his mighty God and cried out with all his heart along with his people.

Don't be afraid to admit that you are afraid! In our country we have a saying: "They better say,‘ He ran here, ’than,‘ He died here ’." The wise Solomon says it in an even more graphic way: "For a living dog is better than a dead lion" (Eccl 9: 4). Many times, it is much better to admit that you are afraid, and that you do not know what to do, instead of pretending a sufficiency that you do not really have.

It is better to seek help from God or others, than to insist on drawing water from your own dry well with illusory resources. Use your weakness and fear to hold on more firmly to your God. In the day of fear, determine more than ever to put your faith in the God who will never leave you. Then you will be able to say with David: "Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me; for in you my soul trusts, and in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge until the destruction passes away" (Psalm 57: 1).