Snared Or Safe?

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Proverbs 29:25

A man in New York turned down a promotion because his new office would be on the tenth floor. The problem? He suffered from a fear of elevators—evidently a combination of acrophobia (fear of heights) and claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces).

When a fear takes hold of us, it doesn’t like to let go. For some, it’s the inability to relax at night because of creaks in the timbers or noises near the windows. Others suffer from panic attacks or anxiety disorders. And then there are people who experience apprehension whenever a loved one is traveling, or a sense of dread when fetching the bills from the mailbox. Many of us are afraid of other people, those intimidating souls who frighten, bully, harass, or torment us.

Proverbs 29:25 gives us two options: we can fear others, which becomes a snare. Or we can trust God, which leads to safety. The devil is the source of fear, and his goal is to confuse and confound. The Savior of our souls replaces fear with faith, and whoever trusts in Him is safe.

I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.

ROSA PARKS