There are a lot of verses in Scripture on fearing God. If you're like me and takes everything literal, this can be difficult to understand. For a while, when I read about fearing God, I thought it literally meant you're scared of God! I started to realize just how holy he is, and how unholy I am. It terrified me! How could I communicate with someone so holy, so powerful, so "good," when I am neither of those things? Surely he wouldn't want to hear from me! I was so scared to pray, that for several months I wrote my prayers instead. I know it's still praying, but I felt like that was the best I could do.
But what if fearing God doesn't mean the same kind of fear we usually think of?
I think when it says to fear God, it doesn't mean scared, but rather it means to have high respect for him. Take this verse for example:
The LORD is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them his covenant.
Psalm 25:15
How could we be scared of someone, and be a friend at the same time? It's not the same as being scared, it's high respect.
Of course, there is a side to be scared of though. He's no push-over. He knows our hearts, and that includes the darkness inside them. In each and every one of us, there is a side of us that says, "I can do a better job than God can." I mean think about it. Lucifer (Satan) fell because he thought he could be a better god than, well, God! We are no better.''
"Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body."
Matthew 10:28
God doesn't like punishing or destroying. You think he takes pleasure in sending people to hell? Heck no! If he did, he wouldn't have sent Jesus to save us!
"I don't want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!"
Ezekiel 18:32
There have been many times where I thought, "Where is MY justice in what I've been through?" He is a God of justice, don't get me wrong. Some day there will be justice for us; but that also means there will be justice for people we have hurt and treated like crap too. There's nothing wrong with wanting justice, but be careful, because he will give justice to others as well.
Thankfully, we also have a God of mercy. It's funny, we (or at least I) ask for justice for us from God, but then in the same breath we ask God to be merciful to us.
I know recently I've had to realize, I'm not as much of a forgiving person as thought I was. I do hold grudges, and that is something I have to work on. Sometimes when people come to mind who have hurt me, it really gets my blood boiling and I get really angry, clenching my fists like I'm about to hit something. But then I realize that I really hadn't forgiven them like I had thought I had. So I ask God to forgive me and to help me continue to forgive them.
Anyway, I think I've gone off-track. Fearing God. Respect.
O LORD, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God!
Psalm 25:1
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