These are short daily devotional for today about fear, loneliness and managing emotions for you to share with friends and loved ones during devotions.
Fear
The Bible mentions two specific types of fear. The first type is beneficial and is to be encouraged. The second type is a detriment and is to be overcome. The first type of fear is fear of the Lord. This type of fear does not necessarily mean being afraid of something. Rather, it is a reverential awe of God; a reverence for His power and glory. However, it is also a proper respect for His wrath and anger. In other words, the fear of the Lord is a total acknowledgement of all that God is, which comes through knowing Him and His attributes.
Fear of the Lord brings with it many blessings and benefits. It is the beginning of wisdom and leads to good understanding - Psalm 111:10. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline - Proverbs 1:7. Furthermore, fear of the Lord leads to life, rest, peace, and contentment - Proverbs 19:23. It is the fountain and life - Proverbs 14:27, and provides a security and a place of safety for us - Proverbs 14:26.
Thus, one can see how fearing God should be encouraged. However, the second type of fear mentioned in the Bible is not beneficial at all. This is the "spirit of fear" mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (NKJV). A spirit of fearfulness and timidity does not come from God.
However, sometimes we are afraid, and sometimes this "spirit of fear" overcomes us, and to overcome it we need to trust in and love God completely. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love" - 1 John 4:18. No one is perfect, and God knows this. That is why He has liberally sprinkled encouragement against fear throughout the Bible. Beginning in the book of Genesis and continuing throughout the book of Revelation, God reminds us to "Fear not." Best Morning Devotion for Today on I am the Light of the World, Dancing as a Form of Worship and Cast the First Stone
For example, Isaiah 41:10 encourages us, "Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Often we fear the future and what will become of us. But Jesus reminds us that God cares for the birds of the air, so how much more will He provide for His children? "So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows" - Matthew 10:31. Just these few verses cover many different types of fear. God tells us not to be afraid of being alone, of being too weak, of not being heard, and of lacking physical necessities. These admonishments continue throughout the Bible, covering the many different aspects of the "spirit of fear."
In Psalm 56:11 the psalmist writes, "In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" This is an awesome testimony to the power of trusting in God. Regardless of what happens, the psalmist will trust in God because he knows and understands the power of God. The key to overcoming fear, then, is total and complete trust in God. Trusting God is a refusal to give in to fear. It is a turning to God even in the darkest times and trusting Him to make things right. This trust comes from knowing God and knowing that He is good. As Job said when he was experiencing some of the most difficult trials recorded in the Bible, "Though he slays me, yet will I trust in him" - Job 13:15 NKJV.
Once we have learned to put our trust in God, we will no longer be afraid of the things that come against us. We will be like the psalmist who said with confidence ""let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you" - Psalm 5:11.
Loneliness
Being alone and being lonely are two different things. One can be alone without being lonely, and one can be lonely in a crowded room. Loneliness is, therefore, a state of mind, an emotion brought on by feelings of separation from other human beings. The sense of isolation is very deeply felt by those who are lonely. The Hebrew word translated as "desolate" or "lonely" in the Old Testament means "one alone, only; one who is solitary, forsaken, wretched." There is no deeper sadness that ever comes over the mind than the idea that we are alone in the world, that we do not have a friend, that no one cares for us, and that no one is concerned about anything that might happen to us, that no one would care if we were to die or shed a tear over our grave.
No one felt loneliness more keenly than David. In a series of earnest, heartfelt appeals to God, David cried out in his loneliness and despair. His own son was risen up against him, the men of Israel went after him, and he was forced to flee from the city, and leave his house and family. Lonely and afflicted - Psalm 25:16, his only recourse was to turn to God and plead for mercy and God's intervention - Psalm 25:21, because his only hope was in God. It is interesting to note that the word "lonely" is never used in the New Testament to describe people. In the New Testament, the word "lonely" only occurs twice and both times refer to desolate places - Mark 1:45; Luke 5:16, where Jesus moved off into the wilderness to be alone. Morning Devotion Topics on Key to Effective Prayer, Spirit Guides, Compromise and Compassion
Whatever the cause of loneliness, for the Christian the cure is always the same"the comforting fellowship of Christ. That loving relationship with our Master has reassured and encouraged countless thousands who languished in prisons and even went to their deaths for His sake. He is the friend who "sticks closer than a brother" - Proverbs 18:24, who lays down His life for His friends - John. 15:13-15, and who has promised never to leave us or forsake us but to be with us until the end of the age - Matthew 28:20. We can take comfort in the words of the old hymn that says it best: "Friends may fail me, foes assail me, He is with me to the end. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Managing Emotions
What would humans be like if we never became emotional, if we were capable of controlling emotions at all times? Perhaps we would be like someone who responds to all situations to be purely logically, never emotionally. But God created us in His image, and God's emotions are revealed in the Scriptures; therefore, God created us emotional beings. We feel love, joy, happiness, guilt, anger, disappointment, fear, etc. Sometimes our emotions are pleasant to experience and sometimes not. Sometimes our emotions are grounded in truth, and sometimes they are "false" in that they are based upon false premises. For example, if we falsely believe that God is not in control of the circumstances of our lives, we may experience the emotions of fear or despair or anger based on that false belief. Regardless, emotions are powerful and real to the one feeling them. And emotions can be helpful indicators of what is going on in our hearts.
That being said, it is important that we learn about managing emotions rather than allowing our emotions to manage us. For example, when we feel angry, it is important to be able to stop, identify that we are angry, examine our hearts to determine why we are angry, and then proceed in a biblical manner. Out-of-control emotions tend not to produce God-honoring results: "Human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires" - James 1:20.
Our emotions, like our minds and bodies, are influenced greatly by the fall of mankind into sin. In other words, our emotions are tainted by our sinful nature, and that is why they need controlling. The Bible tells us we are to be controlled by the Holy Spirit - Romans 6; Ephesians 5:15-18; 1 Peter 5:6-11, not by our emotions. If we recognize our emotions and bring them to God, we can then submit our hearts to Him and allow Him to do His work in our hearts and direct our actions. At times, this may mean God simply comforts us, reassures us, and reminds us we need not fear. Other times, He may prompt us to forgive or to ask for forgiveness. The Psalms are an excellent example of managing emotions and bringing our emotions to God. Many Psalms are filled with raw emotion, but the emotion is poured out to God in an attempt to seek His truth and righteousness. Weekly Family Bible Study Lessons about Celebrating Birthdays, Who am I in Christ and Godly Sorrow
Sharing our feelings with others is also helpful in managing emotions. The Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. God has given us the gift of other believers who can share our burdens and whose burdens we share - Romans 12; Galatians 6:1-10; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; Hebrews 3:13. Fellow believers can also remind us of God's truth and offer new perspectives. When we are feeling discouraged or afraid, we can benefit from the encouragement, exhortation, and reassurance other believers provide. Often, when we encourage others, we ourselves are encouraged. Likewise, when we are joyful, our joy usually increases when we share it.
Allowing our emotions to control us is not godly. Denying or vilifying our emotions is not godly, either. We should thank God for our ability to feel the emotion and steward our emotions as a gift from God. The way to manage our emotions is to grow in our walk with God. We are transformed through the renewal of our minds - Romans 12:1-2, and the power of the Holy Spirit-the One who produces in us self-control - Galatians 5:23. We need daily input of scriptural principles, a desire to grow in the knowledge of God, and time spent meditating on God's attributes. We should seek to know more about God and share more of our hearts with God through prayer. Christian fellowship is another important part of spiritual growth. We journey with fellow believers and help one another grow in faith as well as in emotional maturity.
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