Fear God more than love him

[mum1983]

Hello,
What would you say to someone who often feels like they fear God more than they love Him? I mean this seriously, as in I always have the fear in the back of my mind that God will somehow TEST me in some cruel way and please don't tell me God doesn't do that kind of thing, because it states very clearly in the Bible that he does do these things to people. Yes, it may all work out in the end, and we don't have all the answers--but God does allow bad things to happen to good people. I feel SO unready for any kind of test. I just got Baptised and I am still on antidepressants and this fear is with me every day. I read and reread the scriptures but there are times when even that doesn't help. I sometimes feel like I fear God more than love him. I constantly worry that God will allow my children to become very sick, or that I'll end up in a hospital with the amount of worrying I'm doing. Why am I still full of anxiety even though I've asked Jesus and God continually for their stregnth and peace. Why do I still feel so much fear?

[Canuckster1127]

Welcome mum1983,

My answer to those who fear God more than love Him, is that they need to know Him better and His charcter and when you realize how much He loves you, your fear will diminish and your love and trust of him increase.

God doesn't promise us easy or challenge free lives. In fact in some areas, he tells us we may have more difficulties because we follow Christ. The difference however is that God walks with us through everything (good and bad) that we face in life and with His presence in our lives we have everything we need to go through difficulties, even death which all of us will go through unless Jesus returns in our lifetime.

I'd encourage you to focus on I John in the New Testament as a good reminder of how Love of God and one another is the norm in our Christian lives.

Also, I think I might have recommended this to you before, but I'd really encourage you to read the book (and you can get it free online) He Loves Me, by Wayne Jacobsen. You can find it free online here:

http://bit.ly/xaGLNx

There's no "trick" to how you come to love God. You do it in much the same manner that you come to love another person. You spend time with Him, you listen to Him and you talk with Him as you come to know Him better you'll find it's easy to love Him, because He clearly loves you. When the voices from the outside or the fears within come and try to cause doubt, those voices become less persuasive because we know better and think better of God than that.

I really wish you well with this. I understand very well what you're describing. I've been through times of stress and depression in my life and I can tell you that what I've described above, has made a difference in my life and I love and trust God now like no other time in my life and it's a wonderful thing.

Blessings,

bart

[mum1983]

Thank you. I have ordered the book through Amazon. It's been one crazy day today. First, a big fight with my husband, then our children's dedication and my Baptism, then my daughter got sick at church and has a bad tummy bug. I just feel like I'm being attacked from all sides today. I so long to have that close bond with God. It's so hard to let go and just relax in his love... It's like, whenever I go through a bout of anxiety, I "un-learn" everything I've learned over the past few months about God's love.

[Silvertusk]

Just remember that he who is within you is stronger than him in the world. God will not forsake you and he does love you.

Fear of God is wisdom - but it is not the classical sense of the word fear - it is more attuned to reverence. A healthy fear makes you respect something or someone more - and this is what I feel that means - But love should be the formost - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, body and soul - The greatest commandment says it all really.

God Bless
Silvertusk.

[Kurieuo]

Paul writes that the Holy Spirit helps in our weakness, interceding for us more than we can for ourselves:

Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Paul also wrote that sufferings in life, and he had many, are nothing compared with the glory to be revealed to us whose hope is in Christ. (Romans 8:18)

You are right though. As Christians, we a promised in Scripture that God will refine us through fire. This can come in varying ways, and may/may not be the ways you envisage. I believe that the norm for such trials, for those with family like you and I and others, are generally growing spirutually through the highs and pitfalls of our personal relationships (married life, children, etc). God refines our character via this, just as much as say, a terminal illness of someone we love. Yet, whatever God's will is, He is the good surgeon who sees all, and Paul believes our pains in this life will be like nothing compared to the eternity that follows, where every tear will be wiped away. (Rev 21:4)

To quote the remainder of Romans 8:

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written,

“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.