The Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It doesn’t say the fear of failure is wisdom, nor fears of loss, getting hurt, or there not being enough. Those kinds of fear will tell you to hide who you are, protect yourself from trusting anyone, judge anything different from you, and that it’s always too dangerous to move forward.
As I’ve walked with him, I’ve found that the fear of God is the opposite of those lies. It’s the deepest, most peaceful and joyful awe. It’s keeping your heart childlike enough to recognize and respond to his power, majesty, glory, and wonder. It’s living your life in full light of the revelation that God really is love.
You aren’t what remains after your failures, wounds, and losses. You are the sum of your responses to God’s love for you. In the wonder of God’s presence, you’re empowered to occupy new territory in his grace, joy, and peace. Don’t give in to the lie it’s too late to become the best version of yourself—the powerful, joyful, amazing person God sees when he looks at you. Know that God has factored in all your wounds, mistakes, and bad choices, and is ready to heal, train, equip, and lead you to a more incredible life than you’ve been imagining.
Find some time alone with God today. Let him remind you of his blessings in your life throughout the years. In that awesome peace, let your heart be healed, strengthened, and encouraged. Let his love for you, and his joy in you, displace every anxiety and insecurity. Let him deal with every dark thought, until every space fear occupied is filled with faith, hope, and love. Let your state of mind live in your state of grace.
“And as we live in God, our love grows more complete . . . This kind of love has no fear, because love formed in his presence always displaces it. If we’re afraid, it’s for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not yet fully experienced his amazing love” (1 John 4:17-18, paraphrase).
Equip Your Spirit 