God delivers us from our fear

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;

    he delivered me from all my fears.

5 

Those who look to him are radiant;

    their faces are never covered with shame.

6 

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

    he saved him out of all his troubles.

7 

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fearhim,

  and he delivers them.

Psalm 34:4-7

Every single one of us has been to the land of worry, regret and anxiety.  Something we did or didn't do.  A diagnosis.  An argument.  A decision about your future that doesn't rest in your hands.  It reminds us how fragile our peace (and sometimes our life) really is.  

Funny though, without these moments we don't realize how much we need God and His strength to get through it all.  In fact life can be an interesting pendulum in which we swing from self-centered assurance to broken God-dependence.  The best times seem to be in between when we know enough to lean on God but not have the urgent need to.

God does deliver us from our fears, but only if we trade our fears of this life with the proper fear of Him.  Sometimes we miss the subtlety of  the fear of God.  We aren't scared of God, just scared of losing the only good thing in our lives.  I have a healthy fear of my wife.  I am not scared of her, I have a healthy fear and respect for keeping our relationship good  (because I don't want to lose it). 

The same is with our fear of God.  We shouldn't fear 'losing' God but it is healthy to have a fear of ruining the way He works in our lives.  Sometimes God works through difficulty, so don't underestimate His love.  Don't feel like you need to add to His work through deceit or manipulation.  Don't take Him for granted.  God is not a lucky rabbit's foot.  You don't put coins in and expect blessing to come out.  God is someone who loves us and fights for us . . . and sometimes He has to fight our desire to put Him in a box.

So take courage today.  The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him.  You have a God who fights for you.  Don't fear what your coworkers say.  Don't fear the prognosis.  Don't fear the upcoming performance review.  Don't fear that strained relationship.  Get your fears in order.  Pull yourself together and fear God.  Fear messing up the only good thing in your life and you will find that everything else falls into place.

In time God delivers us from all our fears.  He just needs to be God in your life in order for that to happen.