FEAR
Approximate Reading/Listening Time: 3.56 minutes
A snarling beast with foaming mouth that is dripping blood and drool stalks amongst the countryside ravenous for its next meal. Ravenous not from lack, but from an insatiable drive to continue devouring all it can. Necessity has long been met; feeding for sustenance is no longer even recognizable to the beast. He simply feeds for the satisfaction. For the kill. Satisfaction never comes though, and he continues prowling to feed the cavernous hole, which will never be filled.
With a disgusting snout to the ground and ears pricked high, the beast quickly darts back and forth, searching for the slightest hint of its favorite meal. Mouth watering with anticipation, he knows it can’t be long now. His prey must be near because the stench is in the air. Fear. The beast can smell it, taste it, hear it, and feel it. Fear that makes me tremble in dread, makes him tremble in excitement. Fear that tastes bitter on my tongue makes his mouth water with anticipation of his favorite flavor. I hear words spoken to me that instill the deepest hopelessness while he howls in delight. His steps quicken into a sprint as he knows it’s over; he has locked in and I will never be able to escape once I am within his reach.
How, then, could anyone ever defeat the beast? Will he forever roam and devour us all? Maybe if I keep quiet, it will deter him? If I hide silently, he can’t hear the fear! Or what if I decide to not run? If I go along my route as normal, could it confuse him and possibly throw him off my scent? That’s what some do and maybe it works?! Others run. Run as fast as they can, hiding behind trees or buildings. Darting under doorways or into caves. And he loves each and every attempt. Whichever route we take, he loves it. It makes the chase more exciting.
There is but one way to stop this horrid beast. Starve him! Let him run and roam and hunt and hope for his next meal while feeling that painful emptiness inside! Let him drool and snarl, let him growl in anger and howl in pain! He will attack. He will run among us with his claws out and his fur standing on end, trying to convince us we have no hope. He will take every opportunity to lash out and claw his way in when he realizes his food source has run dry. There is but one way and only one hope of starving him out, and that is God’s peace. Peace can come in many delicious flavors, such as hope for the future, love, songs of praise, and the beautiful words of Christ.
I plan on being undetectable to that ravenous beast! There will be nothing within me for him to sense. His will find no satisfaction here and his stomach will churn with hunger! Fear will not consume! Peace and praise will be on my every breath. The scent of hope will drown out any lingering odor of fear and words of worship will replace fears vocabulary in my mouth. Fear will be a foreign language which I can no longer speak or understand. I will remember Psalm 121. “I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
Because I know 1 Peter 5:8 which says “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” I will do all I can to keep fear at bay and when I can do nothing more, I will remember these words: “take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and, having done all, to stand” (Ephesian 6:13).
