The Contented Life Daily DevotionalSample

The Healthy Fear

You may wonder how fear can lead to life, especially if you’re associating the concept of fear with horror movies, being afraid of the dark, or even physical abuse. But the Bible speaks of a healthy fear. I’ll wait as your brain cramps for a second, trying to process the words “healthy fear.” This is not a fear of God hurting you or getting revenge on you. This fear comes from a deep desire to be under the protection and blessing of God.

“Reverence” or “deep respect” might be another way to define the “fear of the Lord.” When you have a deep respect for someone, it changes how you think about that person when you are making decisions. You may even decide not to do something or change how you do things because you greatly respect that person. This is the type of relationship that Scripture depicts when it refers to the “fear of the Lord.”

Operating in life with a deep reverence and respect for God changes how you behave and treat others. It will even change the places you go and the things you look at. When you live in a manner that acknowledges and reveres that God is always present with you and everywhere, you will begin to act in a way that reflects a heart to honor Him. This leads to life and a rested, contented heart, untouched by trouble. Does it mean that no trouble will come your way? Absolutely not. But it does mean that your faith will be firm when it does because you are living with a deep respect for your heavenly Father, who is always with you.

This healthy fear of the Lord will preserve your quality of life and contentment when trouble comes.

If you don’t have this perception of God yet, I want to challenge you to pray and ask God to redefine your understanding of “the fear of the Lord” according to His word so that you can have the healthy fulfillment of this promise.

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By: Kari Wallain