Sudden Fear Is Not to be Feared

“Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.” (Pr 3:25-26 AV)

This sudden fear is a very specific type of fear.  Sudden fear is only sudden fear if the one who is in fear doesn’t suffer directly from the source of sudden fear.  If we do suffer from the source of fear, then our response kicks in and we are no longer under fear.  What makes the fear above even more specific is the fear that comes is the result of the desolation of the wicked.  In other words, Solomon is encouraging his children, one of whom will be a king, that you shouldn’t fear when you see the sudden fall of a neighboring enemy because God is your confidence.  To explain it further, we can have a fear of driving when the road conditions are not safe.  This fear is an abiding fear.  This fear causes us to adjust to that fear so the source of that fear does not become a reality.  A sudden fear would be if we become a participant in an accident.  We are suddenly afraid for a very brief moment.  When the consequences of the accident become a greater influence, then fear abates.  In essence, what the writer is trying to tell his children is that just because bad things suddenly happen to bad people, it doesn’t mean those bad things will happen to you.

If we are not careful, fear can run our lives.  Our culture thrives on and profits from, fear.  All one has to do is listen to the news and we would hide in our basements until we pass.  We cannot live in a constant state of fear.  I learned this (at least somewhat) when I lived in tornado alley.  Tornadoes were common.  In the nine years, I lived there, we had a number of tornadoes come within five miles of my home.  On two occasions, tornadoes passed within a mile.  One of those two probably came within a half-mile.  For the first few years, the threat of a tornado terrified me.  You talk about a sudden fear.  That is the very definition of sudden fear.  But then I realized something.  Statistically speaking, the chance of personal injury or death from a tornado is imperceptibly small.  That is, compared to the entire population who lives in tornado ally.  That is not to minimize the tragedy of those who have lost material things or life, but statistically speaking, it is very small.  This changed my entire attitude.  I still had my ears glued to my NOAA radio.  I had a clear warning of a pending storm.  But in the last few years, I found myself going outdoors and looking in the general direction of the tornado to catch a glimpse of it.  If it got too close, we had plenty of basement in which to hide.  There was little to fear.  Precautions should be taken.  Absolutely.  It would be foolish not to exercise as many safety measures in the midst of a tornado warning.  I had snacks, an alternate power source, a flashlight, my phone, and my computer.  All in case I was trapped and could not emerge from a basement.  But no fear of sudden fear.

When I think of what faces us today, we need to be safe.  We need to be as safe as we can while still living our lives.  This constant barrage of fear makes us dependent on ourselves to overcome that fear.  Rather, we need to trust the LORD.  Bad things happen.  One should prepare as best as he can for the eventuality of bad things happening.  But we cannot recede into our shells because we think bad things might happen.  This only opens the door for those who will take advantage of our fear.  And that is exactly what is happening in our world today.  God is bigger than all this.  He is bigger than a disease.  He is bigger than social unrest.  He is bigger than death itself.  I, for one, am asking the LORD to help me not to live as a victim of fear.  I will take steps that are prudent to minimize risk.  I will take precautions so the actions of others are of less consequence to me.  But all the wisdom in the word of God does not guarantee bad things won’t happen.  It reduces the likelihood of it, sure.  But it doesn’t guarantee bad things cannot happen.  They most assuredly will.  All we can do is minimize the risk and trust the LORD with the rest.  That is life!  Like it or not!  Don’t live as a victim of sudden fear.  Trust the LORD with the things you cannot control.  He will only allow that which is part of His design to affect you.  Then He will guide you through it by life or by death.  But you are always in His hand!  Never fear!