Today’s Reading: Psalms 23
When I was a kid, I remember going to my cousin’s house and spending the night. Sometimes they would watch scary movies. When they watch scary movies and I would watch them or hear the movie, I was afraid and I could not sleep. I would run away from the fear.
Many times when we are afraid and scared, we try to run away from it as fast as possible. When there is immediate danger to you, it is necessary to evade the danger as fast as possible. But when there is a fear of something that is not going to harm us, we do not need to run as fast as possible. We can try to access the situation and process the unknown. I remember being a kid and being afraid of something and counting as fast as I could to 10. I thought if I could get to ten, I could get away from the fear. But as I am an adult, I have understood that when I try to rush through the fear, I am not allowed a God to work in me.
In today’s passage, the 23rd Psalms, this is a familiar passage to many individuals who are Christian and non-Christian. Sometimes we run through the psalms as we run through the our prayers or mantras : to say it to get through it and then move on. But when we actually break it down into its parts, there is more to this psalms.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
David gives us an example of how to walk with God in the midst of our fears.
David walks.
He is moving with intention, but not running.
I like to think that David wrote this psalm close to the end of his life. At this point in time, David is able to see how God works and He is intentional with His protection and His love.
Earlier in David’s life, he had to run away from things. But now it is later life, he realizes that God is there with him in all parts of his life and he does not have to rush through any parts of it: the highs or lows, the fears or joys, the stress or the rest. With God and his relationship, David is able to be at ease and just move with assurance that he is protected and secure.
Can this be an example for us. Can we rest assured and walk with ease in life despite the fears?
The Fears of failure or the Fear of success.
The Fear of Loss or the Fear of Abundance.
The Fear of Death or the Fear of Life.
Fear is a natural emotion that we have. We cannot erase it. What we can do is overcome and conquer fear with courage and discipline. The fears that were typical are the fears of failure, the fears of loss and fears of death. The fears of success are if you become Successful you will lose other things. The fear of Abundance can be fears of mismanagement. The fears of Life can be that of the uncertainty of everything. I remember becoming a parent and the joy and fear that encompasses that. The joy of something exciting and new, but then the fears of trying to protect new life from everything.
As we see there can be many fears that encapsulate us on a daily basis. It is the rational fears of Fear of Failure, Fear of Loss, and Fear of Death and the non-logical fears of Success, Abundance, and Life that can cripple us and stop us from fulfilling the goodness that God has ready for us. Let us walk with God in the midst of these and all fears that will hinder us from goodness. He has so many things ready for us, if we walk with Him and trust in His process.
Be Blessed
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