My father was a professional diver for 35 years. He spent enormous amount of time under the water and did all manner of work under the surface.
One part of the job was to teach diving in the school. As a young lad I was privileged to attend some of his courses. The theoretical part was fun, but the practical part was a different ball game. Eventually, I had to put to practice what I had learned in the classroom.
So the time arrived when I had to dive into the Icelandic freezing cold sea. I will never forget as I stood on the bulwark all dressed up in diving suit with all the gear on when my heart failed me. I wasn’t ready for the water. My father said, “Son get in the water.“ I was hesitant because of fear and said I am not ready dad I will do it later. My father replied I will not take you back to land in a dry diving suit, now get in the water.
And in a twinkling of an eye, I was in the water trying to catch my breath, for my father pushed me of the bulwark into the sea. I felt the ice-cold water run down the spine and fill the suits in just a moment. So cold that breathing was out of control. Nonetheless, in few moments I managed my fear and caught my breath back into rhythm.
So how do we feel?
Fear is tricky and not a pleasant emotion. Fear can paralyze and imprison you, even be destructive. Fear is caused by a threat of something, a condition of being afraid of something that possibly may happen. What if I fail? What if they don’t like me? what if it happens again? What if I make the change? Most of what we fear in life never actually happens.
The positives of fear
In a right measure fear is not always a bad thing. It is one of the inbuilt human survival instincts. There are positives of fear.
Example:
· God says we are to fear GOD i.e. REVERENTIAL FEAR.
· The FEAR of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
· Fear will make you think before you speak.
· Fear may cause you to be more vigilant and watchful, run faster, focus and concentrate even better, remove barriers and make changes in your life.
Don’t settle for less
We fail to raise our expectations in us pursue for the things of God for us. Therefore, we settle for less and seek the sweet spot of comfort than taking the challenge FOR BETTER THINGS.
The reason you don't see your relationship with God as priority or coming to Church is that you don’t have a vision of the Place.
There is a wall between the IDEAL and REALITY. What we envision may not at all be as easy as we thought, as it was with me when I went diving with my father. So how can I get from the IDEAL to the REALITY? “FAITH is the substance….“ So the Father will set up a situation for a revelation and push you out of your comfort zone and what you think is your security and safety to bring you from one dimension to the next one. But while you are adjusting to the changes Faith is the only thing that can get you through. You got to trust Him.
HEBREWS 4:1 “Let us therefore FEAR...”
Conclusion:
Therefore fear and faith are connected concepts, for fear can cause you to have faith in God and faith will cause you to fear God. Godly fear is to know that by faith I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
Pastor Oskar Sigurdsson