In 2021, I sensed the Lord urging me to apply to a year-long Bible training program in Texas. At 23 years old living in small-town Missouri, I was terrified of doing the wrong thing but also terrified to do the right thing. But which was it? I felt stuck in the back-and-forth of indecisiveness with no clear direction from God. I desperately wanted a big, clear sign on the side of the road, but that wasn’t what God gave me. I’m embarrassed to admit, but it took me ten months to be obedient to the Spirit’s prompting to apply to the program. But it is so clear now that God was speaking to me and asking me to take a step of faith. I’m so glad I listened.
Looking back on that time in my life now, I recognize I was riddled with fear, which kept me from being obedient to what God was asking me to do. And though I’ve learned a lot about myself in the past several years, fear still keeps me from obedience in some ways today. What I know now is that fear clouds my judgement, which makes it extremely hard for me to make decisions.
The Fear of the Lord
What does the Bible say about fear? God makes it very clear that we are to fear Him and nothing else. Psalm 111:10 (ESV) says, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.” This verse is just one example of God’s Word stating that fearing the Lord leads to abundant life. It seems like fearing God is at war with fearing other things in this world, like, fear of man, fear of failure, or fear of the unknown.
Though it’s not clearly stated, I bet Noah, his wife, and their sons encountered fear. Can you imagine God telling you He’s going to wipe out humanity by sending a great flood while preserving you and your family on an ark with two of every kind of animal on earth?! It sounds crazy to me. What do you think motivated them to be obedient to God’s ask of them? I think fearing the Lord had much to do with their obedience.
Noah was “righteous” and the Lord found “favor with him.” No, Noah wasn’t perfect, and there are examples of his sin and imperfection in God’s Word. But, for some reason, God chose Noah and his family as remnants to preserve humanity. We don’t get Noah’s dialogue with his family after God makes this great ask of him to build an ark and place his family on it for forty days and forty nights.
I wonder what that conversation was like between him and his wife. Maybe she pushed back, or maybe she felt peace and confidence. Regardless, we know she was obedient to do what her husband asked of her, as he was obedient to do what God asked of him.
And I’m so glad they were! Or else we wouldn’t be here today. Their “yes” to God led to life for them and all those that came after them. They didn’t know if God would follow through on His promise to keep them, but they trusted His character and that was enough for them to be obedient to His ask.
Familiar with His Voice
The beauty of walking with the Lord over a long period of time is that you become more familiar with His voice. No, God has never audibly spoken to me, but I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit that convicts the hearts of believers.
What is God asking of you today? Has He impressed something on your heart? Is that decision affirmed by His Word, His Spirit, and His people? A question I’ve learned to ask myself and my close friends when it comes to making decisions is, “Is fear the only thing keeping you from saying yes?”
Now, hear me say, God created us with a conscious for a reason, and some of our choices are unwise. It’s so important to seek counsel before making a big life decision. But my encouragement to you today is to not let the fear you’re battling keep you from fearing the Lord above all else. He is trustworthy and good.
I’m so glad I was obedient to God’s prompting on my heart when I felt an urge to apply to the Bible training program. I couldn’t imagine my life today if it weren’t for saying yes to God all those years ago. God doesn’t make His whole plan for our lives clear to us, but rather, He shines a light on each faithful step we take. I’m grateful to serve a God who uses His Spirit to guide His people. He has abundance for us as we are obedient to Him.
