6 Minute Read
Be Still
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a couple of minutes to breathe deeply, to quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, prayerfully ask the Lord to speak to you in this time and let Him know that you will be listening and will make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Today’s Bible Reading:
Obadiah 1:1-21
Revelation 4:1-11
Psalm 132:1-18
Proverbs 29:24-25
Listen to the Lord
Slowly and reflectively read the following verses and listen to what God will say to you through them. Then, consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Proverbs 29:25 (NLT): “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.”
Reflections from Scripture:
Proverbs 29:25 calls us to reflect seriously on who we allow to determine our focus and actions.
“Fearing people is a dangerous trap…” (Proverbs 29:25)
Have you ever been afraid of someone? Maybe it was an abusive parent, a class bully, or an unreasonable boss.
Whoever it was, our fear of that person played out in very real ways. Because our fear was so real, our minds often focused intently on them. It stressed us out and kept us awake at night. And we may have done things that we ordinarily wouldn’t do out of fear of the consequences if we didn’t.
Simply put, our fear of that person played out in very undesirable ways.
But, listen to the rest of the verse I have chosen for today…
Proverbs 29:25 (NLT): “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.”
Instead of fearing people, we are called to trust in the Lord. We are told to rest in the fact that our God is in control. And when we do that, we are “safe.”
Essentially, we are told that we can either fear people and feel unsafe or we can put our trust in the Lord and be safe.
But, what does “safe” mean? After all, Jesus trusted in the Lord, and He was mistreated and ended up on a torturous cross.
So, what does “safe” mean?
“Safe” means that you are in God’s will. It means that nothing can happen to you unless it is God’s desire for you. It means that people can do absolutely nothing to you unless God allows it, no matter who they are or how powerful they are. Everything has to come through His hands before it gets to you. You’re safe.
So, don’t live your life in fear of people. Instead, trust in the Lord. Of course, bad things will still happen to you. But, your perspective on them will change, and you will be much more willing to accept them since you know that your God loves you and has to approve of whatever comes your way.
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that You watch over me. Help me never to fear people. Certainly, there might be times when I must distance myself from someone who willfully inflicts harm. But, even if that happens, help my trust in You to be greater than any fear of mankind. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.
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