Do you ever wake up in the morning with a sense of dread? I do sometimes. I learned a long time ago, from Joyce Meyer, that dread is just another form of fear. Fear is a core issue in my life, as I am sure it is with many of you. It stems from my temperament and from past experiences. These, of course, are no excuse for allowing fear to torment me and hold me back. Fear is an internal enemy, and it must be overcome.
The Psalmist had some fear to deal with as well. In Psalm 55 you can see a progression of feelings: troubled, distraught, anguished of heart, terrors of death, fear and trembling, overwhelming horror. vs. 1-5 At this point, he no longer has any fight in him, and just wants to flee. I can totally relate to these things, having suffered for many years from chronic anxiety and panic disorder. I could end up there again, but I have learned to deal with fear when it's still in its "dread" stage. When I sense dread becoming a dark cloud in my life, I go to the Lord and ask Him to shed some light on its causes.
Continuing in Psalm 55, David lists some causes for the fear he is experiencing. We all have different things we fear-- things we're dealing with internally and externally. It's good to face the things we fear, and to face the fact that we're fearful, but the cause is not really the issue. The cure is what matters.
"But I call upon God, and the Lord will save me. . . cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you. . . I will trust in [God]." vs 16, 22
Dread can lead to avoidance of the very things we love and need the most, and doing that can easily lead to depression. If for some reason you begin to feel a dread of going to the Lord for help or just to be with Him, determine in yourself now that you will resist that dread with determination to overcome. If we give in to dread on a regular basis, the subtle fear will eventually become an overwhelming phobia. Satan would love for you to have a "God-phobia" so you would avoid Him at all costs. This is not the holy "fear of the Lord," but a deadly deception. Cry out to the Lord for help whenever you begin to feel dread concerning Him or His Word.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
"Incline your heart to understanding."
Search This Blog
Join The Facebook Group
"Incline your heart to understanding."
Posts
Vision Statement
Although I didn't start this right on January 1, my goal is to daily post a brief synopsis of the insights I gain by my daily reading of the Bible using the One Year Bible. The Bible I have is the New Revised Standard Version, and the online version is NKJV. Please only use this devotional as a supplement to your own Bible reading and study, not as a substitute. You'll gain your own insights from reading the Word, and I'd be glad for you to share them in the comments here.
You can start reading the whole Bible through using this plan even if you didn't start at the first of the year. There are two ways to do this, either start right in on the date you want, or go online and get a plan that starts right at Genesis 1 beginning with the date you set. You can also use the Chronological Bible plan. The link is below.
I also invite you to join the Facebook group and participate. Together we can add our illumination to the torch we hold up to light the way for others. The light is Jesus Christ, and He receives all the glory.
Karen
You can start reading the whole Bible through using this plan even if you didn't start at the first of the year. There are two ways to do this, either start right in on the date you want, or go online and get a plan that starts right at Genesis 1 beginning with the date you set. You can also use the Chronological Bible plan. The link is below.
I also invite you to join the Facebook group and participate. Together we can add our illumination to the torch we hold up to light the way for others. The light is Jesus Christ, and He receives all the glory.
Karen
No comments:
Post a Comment