I'm Afraid Of God

[LadyKay]

It sounds strange. But still after all these years of being a Christian, I am afraid of God. I am afraid that he will punish me if I don't do things in just the right way. If I don't have enough faith or if I start feeling down about things and don't thank him enough. I fear he will make things worse in my life as punishment for being ungrateful. I try so hard to have faith while I sit and watch my world fall down around me I still try hard to hold on to my faith. But I fear God will punish men for being afraid when he tells us we shouldn't be. Can anyone understand where I am coming from?

[Guest man]

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

 

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

 

 

There's nothing wrong with having a healthy dose of fear. Your fear actually shows that you're concerned with how the Lord perceives you. 

 

Continue to study the Word and don't be afraid to ask the Lord for guidance and understanding. His desire is for you to seek Him.....so do that.

[BFP]

Oh do I ever know how you feel LadyK!  I lived that almost my whole life until maybe three years ago.  I read every book I could find on the love of God.  I never believed He loved me before that, I always figured he was the big guy up in the sky that was just waiting for me to screw up somehow so that he could ruin me somehow. 

Gloria Copeland has a book out called "Blessed Beyond Measure" that really helped me get past that fear.  I know some will say that it goes too far over to the other side, BUT I think you need to read it because for me it gave me balance.  And balance was what i needed to overcome that never ending day to day fear of God.

[MorningGlory]

It's not strange at all, Lady Kay, to fear the Lord.  But that fear should not be of recrimination or punishment (not if you are sincerely trying to follow Him).  I fear only that I will disappoint Him, that I will somehow go off the path He has laid for me and that is what you should focus on.  He loves us regardless so we just have to do the very best we can and, when we mess up, we have to ask His forgiveness AGAIN.  He is a patient and forgiving God....otherwise we would all be cosmic dust by now.   

[missmuffet]

For the unbeliever,the fear of God is the fear of judgment of God and eternal punishment.The believer's fear is reverense of God.The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge.Believers are not to be scared of God.We have no reason to be scared of Him.The fear of God is respecting Him,obeying Him,submitting to His discipline and Worshipping Him.

[other one]

LadyKay, I've spent half of my life feeling the same way......   and I guess about half of that other half simply not caring (long story)  I wish I could say that I'm over it, but I get my past thrown up in my face nearly every day.

 

One thing that has helped was to realize (at least for me) that i was really afraid of myself much more than God.  We know pretty much what  God is going to do to, and what we deserve (me more than most) but sometimes we loose sight of the fact that he made us for a purpose; and he made is very imperfect; and in the scheme of things came down here himself to suffer the consequences of the very thing he made mandatory....  It's hard to keep in mind that he loves us so much that he would himself save us from our shortcomings

 

Thispart was very much easy for me because I was such a total spiritual failure that I "know" I can't do it myself.....  so I put it in his hands one way or the other and take his word that it will be the righteousness of Jesus that makes me acceptable and nothing I can do will make him accept me........   but if Jesus loves me to the point of doing what he did to save me, how can I doubt him...   I'm not going to tell you that I never doubt, but the phrase, "he died for you stupid" seems to be burned into my mind somewhere.

 

 

So when the devils throw my weakness and/or past up in my face I remember that line, and it gives me relief. 

[Hall7]

 I am afraid that he will punish me if I don't do things in just the right way. If I don't have enough faith or if I start feeling down about things and don't thank him enough. I fear he will make things worse in my life as punishment for being ungrateful.

Sometimes it seems as though he's the one punishing us, but we really are the ones punishing ourselves. When we loose faith and start feeling down about things and feel like the world is falling apart, it isn't God punishing us, it is us distancing ourselves from God and therefore lowering our spirits to the world, so "the world" is what get's the best out of us in these situations. The thing is that as Christians, we live in God's dimension (as I like to call it), his dimension is filled with love, joy and goodness, and when we slip at times, and our spirit clings to the world for a while, things don't seem to go as good any longer. So don't be afraid of him, yes we should fear Him because he is greater and more powerful than all, but he isn't out to get you sister .

[NeedYouLord]

Much love to you, Ms. LadyKay,

I remember standing out in the dirt road beside our house (living with my mom) drunk as a skunk wondering why I was born...Life was yukky...and God never answered my prayers because (in my mind) He was too busy with others and really they needed Him alot more than I did...He was out there somewhere and besides how could He see everything I did? Hahaha...I had been told all my life that He could-but unfortunately was told not much else about Him at all...but really I guess there was an attempt at being taught to do right and to fear Him...

 

Keep in mind though...there were times, my life was not taken, when it should have been...2 incidents of almost drowning come to mind immediately and driving while drunk in a blackout...I could have killed someone and myself...but without even knowing it...I truly believe God was with me...It's just my eyes were blind...my spirit had not been reborn either...so how in the world could I know He was real? I couldn't...and believe me, you are in good company, taking things way this way or way too much that way...I know how to do that too...Balance is a very important thing...We tip over if we don't have balance...Hahaha

 

Today...I am in Awe of An Awesome God Who Is Real and Loves me and you and the whole world!!! He is My Redeemer, My Provider, My Healer...He is Everything and In Him Is Everything I need...He knows every need I have and supplies that need...I bow down and Worship Him...I pray to Him and He hears my prayers...I go to the secret place and He rewards me openly!!! I can be at my sewing machine (that changes I believe with what He wants me doing the most) and I'll hear a still small voice...(Today I can tell the difference between my own mind voice and His) I am at Peace no matter the circumstance...because circumstances change...and if I do get all aggravated about something-it isn't long before I know what I gotta do about it...

 

How did I go from that to this? (What is this? Hahaha-In my opinion a relationship and knowledge of the Greatest Love ever known to mankind-A Peace That Passes All Understanding and so much more) Years of Seeking...Repenting-Surrendering-Crying-Spending time with Him...Giving up everything-to win...Desiring what He desires...But not at first-even that took a while for me...His Word is Alive...and becomes Real...and The Same Spirit That Raised Jesus from The Dead Lives in me...He lives in me...His Word changes me for the better and gives me New Life...Does it come fast? Sometimes some of it does...and then sometimes we get to learn things like patience, tolerance, long-suffering...beautiful and wonderful things that we need that we didn't have...Ok I'm just talking about myself on that one...Hahaha

 

I'm not going to apologize for saying all of that to say this: One of the greatest things I've learned (and I'm not done learning) is the scriptures that "man" gave...God's Word is True...even the verse Romans 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance...and even also this: Psalm 27:13-14 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, (which means: wait in faith) I say, on the Lord!  And this that gave me such a good perspective about fear...When I am afraid of something-I run as fast as I can away from it...But to "fear" God is to run right into HIs Loving Arms...and never leave...Hahaha...Ok needing that balance again...Hahaha...Love to you forever and always!!!

[*Zion*]

Have no fear, for He has made available to us His grace, which is sufficient for us

[missmuffet]

Many people who have struggled with an abusive or angry Earthly father have a problem with God.They think He is just like them.He is not.Our Heavely Father is loving and kind and compassionate.