When We Fear God, We No Longer Need to Fear Man

“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” — Proverbs 29:25 (KJV)

Generally speaking, when a person truly fears God, they become less afraid of man.

Isn't that an interesting thought?

We spend so much of our lives concerned about what others think of us. We worry about being misunderstood, rejected, criticized, or disliked. Sometimes we remain silent when we should speak, compromise when we should stand firm, or seek approval from people rather than obedience to God.

But something begins to change when we truly understand what it means to fear the Lord.

The fear of God isn't about being terrified of Him. It is about having such deep reverence, awe, respect, and love for Him that His opinion becomes more important than anyone else's.

And the closer we walk with Him, the less power the opinions of others have over us.

Think about Daniel. He knew the consequences of praying to God, yet he continued praying. Think about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They stood before a king who threatened to throw them into a fiery furnace, and still they refused to bow.

And then there were Peter and the apostles, who boldly declared:

“We ought to obey God rather than men.” — Acts 5:29 (KJV)

These men weren't necessarily without fear. They simply knew whom they feared most.

I wonder how much of our own anxiety comes from giving people authority over our hearts that belongs to God alone.

How often do we exhaust ourselves trying to explain our motives, defend our character, or convince someone to understand us?

There is such freedom in realizing that we can love people deeply without living for their approval.

We can be gentle without compromising truth. We can be kind without surrendering our convictions. We can be misunderstood and still have peace.

Because ultimately, the goal of our lives isn't to be approved by everyone around us. It is to be faithful to the One who created us.

And perhaps this is one of the beautiful things that happens as we mature in our walk with Christ.

We become less concerned with being accepted by everyone and more concerned with walking closely with Him.

Not because we have become hardhearted or indifferent toward people, but because our hearts have become more firmly anchored in God.

The more we know Him, the more we trust Him. And the more we trust Him, the less we need to fear what others might think, say, or do.

What a wonderful freedom that is!

“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” — Psalm 118:6 (KJV)

                             Christine