Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

““Oh that my anguish were weighed,
    and all my calamity laid in the balances!
For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas,
    therefore my words have been rash.
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me.
    My spirit drinks up their poison.
The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.
    Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass?
Or does the ox low over his fodder?
   Can that which has no flavor be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
    My soul refuses to touch them.
They are as loathsome food to me.
“Oh that I might have my request,
    that God would grant the thing that I long for,
even that it would please God to crush me;
    that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!”
(Job 6:2-9)

“Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in your anger,
    neither discipline me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint.
    Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
My soul is also in great anguish.
    But you, Yahweh—how long?
Return, Yahweh. Deliver my soul,
    and save me for your loving kindness’ sake.
For in death there is no memory of you.
    In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?
I am weary with my groaning.
    Every night I flood my bed.
    I drench my couch with my tears.
My eye wastes away because of grief.
    It grows old because of all my adversaries.
Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity,
    for Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping.
Yahweh has heard my supplication.
    Yahweh accepts my prayer.
May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed.
    They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly.“
(Psalm 6)

Job was looking at where he was and was quite upset. This is normal. We do not like to feel sick, injured, tormented, beaten down, and alone. No one does. Ever. Who would? That’s a terrible place to be. Job clearly was under attack. But it wasn’t God attacking him. God hadn’t abandoned him. It didn’t FEEL like that to Job. But it was the TRUTH.

David was looking at where he was and was quite upset. He felt abandoned by God. He felt that he was losing, slipping away, that death was at the door – and God wasn’t beside him. That wasn’t true. But that was what he felt. Yet David didn’t let go. David didn’t let up. David didn’t let his FEELINGS dictate what he was going to SAY. David hung onto the PROMISES of God in spite of how he FELT. David praised God and hung onto God and worshipped God. David spoke the TRUTH.

Summary

What we see isn’t what is happening. What we feel isn’t how we have to emote. What we are facing doesn’t need to be what we are focusing on. God is with us. We can keep our hands in His. We can use His Fruit while we nurture and grow our own. We can look to Him and repeat His promises to us. We can stand on the Word and refuse to budge. God is with us whether we see Him, feel Him, or witness Him there or not. It is a solemn promise to us from someone who cannot lie. We can hold onto that promise and walk through ANYTHING because we are keeping our eyes on Him and holding to what HE says, not what the world says or anything/anyone else. Because of that, we can live lives that don’t work the same as everyone else. They can be lost and despairing while we are hopeful and praising. What a witness to a dark world we can be!