“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.
2 Chronicles 16:9; NASB

 Fear is one of man’s strongest emotions. It can be a very positive force in guiding us through dangerous situations. It can also be quite destructive if the fear, or our response to it, is rooted in brokenness. Unexpectedly meeting up with a rattle snake or an alligator while on an afternoon stroll would no doubt cause fear in most of us. This keeps us from getting too close and has us alter our path to avoid a confrontation. This is a good thing. However, fear that comes from unpleasant experiences in our past can negatively affect our decisions throughout our lives. Many times, one fear can lead to another until fear itself becomes a primary motivating factor in life.

God does not want us living in fear. It causes worry, which is something Jesus told us is unnecessary. Worry brings on more fear, and it in turn brings more worry. That self-destructive cycle will continue until you decide to break it. Before knowing Jesus, we have nothing but the things of the world to comfort us in fearful times. As children we rely on our caretakers to “come to the rescue” when we become fearful. As we grow, we learn that some things even the most capable of us are unable to do, regardless of the situation. In reality, most of our fears are over things that are out of our control. This can be a real problem when you consider we have far less control over things than we think we do.

Jesus said: “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness”, (Matt. 6:33a). He also told us not to worry about tomorrow (v.34). The only way we can let go of the fear and worry in our lives is if God is more important to us than anything that can happen in this world. That is what it means to put God first. It sounds like a tall order to some, but it’s what the Lord wants. He wants this because He knows it’s what is best for us. When we desire God more than anything in this world, He will fill us with peace and contentment. Fear will be gone and replaced with confidence in His love, ability, and willingness to care for all of our needs.

God’s eyes are constantly scanning the earth for the hearts of those who truly love Him. There is nothing more comforting than knowing that your love for God draws His support in everything in your life. Seeking the Lord is a decision that each one of us gets to make every day. If you will decide to consider God the most important thing in your life, He will strongly support you in all you do. What an incredibly empowering and comforting thought.

Have a great week and God bless.