Fear Not

Best Case Scenario

Chapter 4

November 10

Genesis 32:

7. In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups....

9. Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord...

11-12. "Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.'"

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Preface

Guilt has a way of working on the mind over time, making the imagination run wild. When we've done something wrong to someone, guilt can skew perspective, convincing us that they're going to come for us. And the more time that passes with us entertaining guilt, the more frightened we become of what the person may do.

In reality, to the person wronged, he or she could have let it go years ago, having not given it a thought. Where for years we've been scared to death of them, they've only thought of us in positive terms.

And then we run into them, at the store or a school-board meeting. Where we're dreading the confrontation that's sure to ensue, they're happy to see us, wanting to get lunch, catch up, see how you've been.

From a position of faith, we save ourselves from all the unnecessary heartache. We call, set up a meeting, let them know what's on our heart, apologize, see what we can do to make amends. 

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Jacob felt guilty for having taken from his brother, Esau, his birthright and blessing. Guilt has a profound ability to cultivate fear. And the type of fear born out of guilt compounds in intensity over time. Jacob carried his for 20 years.

Upon hearing that Esau was coming, it's notable that the first thing Jacob did was divide the people into two groups (a fear-born action). Then, second, he called out to God, praying for help (a faith-born action). Fear preceded faith. And when praying, he said, "For I am afraid he will...attack me...and the mothers and their children."

Guilt-fear has a way of becoming a filter through which every event and situation is interpreted according to the worse-case scenario. In such a state, people aren't actually seeing the event but instead are seeing only their interpretation. (Another example of this is found at Genesis 43:18.) This causes them to act according to what the fear shows them (in their imagination) instead of according to what's actually happening (in reality). (See also Genesis 33:4; 43:23.)

Peace-faith, though, serves as a way to see events and circumstances as God would; as things really are, in Him, in the best-case scenario. With this perspective, our FIRST action is prayer, not division.

Fear divides. Faith keeps us united, it reminds God and ourselves of His promises to us, and it protects and saves.