Overcoming: Life Lessons From the PsalmsSample

Weeds, Fears, and Balloons

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”

Psalm 34:4

I hate weeds. They frustrate me. No matter what I do to remove them from my yard, they keep coming back. The arch-enemy I call a weed is crabgrass. We are waging a never-ending war against each other. I have come to believe weeds were a part of the Great Curse that fell upon all of humanity and my yard!

For most folks, fears are like weeds. They are hard to get rid of. For many, they never really go away, or they keep coming back. It seems like everybody has some. Left unattended, they take over. Anxiety, worry, and uncertainty become far too common in our daily lives.

According to Psalm 34:4, removing human fears requires some type of deliverance. Sadly, most human fears develop before we know how to resolve them. This is because every human being is born into this broken and fear-based world. Before we mature enough in our faith to counter the development of fears, they sprout and take root in our souls. Not to worry; there is a way to be delivered from our human fears. It requires an increase in Godly fear.

Let us transition our example of human fears from weeds to balloons. Developing Godly fear lets the air out of the balloons of human fear. Verse 4 says the Psalmist sought the Lord. Obviously, he did so due to his fears. As he sought the Lord by pursuing Him, worshipping Him, and spending time in His presence and His word, something amazing happened! He was “delivered from ALL my fears.”

As we seek Him and He responds to us, the result is our fears deflate, much like air being released out of a balloon. In other words, insecurities within us that have blossomed into fears are resolved in the sovereign presence of the Lord. The uncertainty of the future, the anxiety of the moment, and the worry of the unknown relaxes in the certainty of the Sovereignty of our God.

Read the rest of the Psalm. You will note that when fear is referenced again in verses nine and eleven, it has transitioned into the beautiful reverential fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord produces within us the opposite of anxiety and worry. As we seek the Lord and He connects with us, we become increasingly aware of His sovereignty, omnipotence, glory, and majesty. We have moments when we become more aware of His magnificence, His unfathomable immensity, and His forever nature. A profound respect and humility develop within us as we have glimpses of His holiness, supremacy, and infinite nature. The fear of the Lord is a fear that bends the knee and raises a voice of praise. It is a divine and reverential fear that moves us to be certain of the future while much is still uncertain. It is the type of fear which places our soul at rest and delivers us from all our human fears. It is a divine fear that says I have nothing to fear because my Lord is fearless, and He loves me.

I have had my share of fearful moments. I am sure you have, too. In every moment where fear lies in wait to capture our hearts and minds, let us remember to seek the Lord. Let us remember that seeking is as much of a soaking as it is a desire for a resolution. Take the time to open the Bible and ask Him to speak to you through what you read. Listen to worship music and ask Him to allow each verse to change your tune! Instruct your mind to focus on His sovereignty in spite of, and because of, your fears. Soak into your soul every promise of God’s Word. When you have done so, take another dip. Return each day to the pool of God’s presence. As you do, He will be faithful to make Himself known to you. In those moments, your fears will undergo a massive transformation. Your fears that resemble verse four will become the divine fears of verses nine and eleven. From the days when David wrote Psalm 34 to this day, the Lord's presence can deliver each of us from our human fears.