Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them …
–1 Samuel 31:1
What is it that grips your heart with fear? It may be something very tangible such as public speaking or spiders. Perhaps it’s harder to define, and your fears center around what might happen to you financially or relationally in the future. No matter the source of your fear, it can debilitate.
Responses to fear vary according to the individual and the circumstances. We’ve all likely had experiences where we were afraid of an interaction with someone and went to great lengths to avoid them. Or maybe we didn’t participate in an event because we were afraid. Sometimes our fears cause us to be more aggressive or irritable; other times, we are paralyzed and unable to respond at all.
At the end of 1 Samuel, we read of the final battle in Saul’s life, a king who ended his reign trusting in himself more than God. As he and his sons were fighting on Mount Gilboa, word got back to his people that things were not going well. The Philistines were in pursuit and the Israelites were terrified, fleeing from their enemies. They ran for their lives, not having time to grab anything of value.
David knew about fear; he understood what it was like to have people pursuing him. He had run from Saul for years, but he steadfastly relied on God for guidance and wisdom. When he failed, he repented; when he doubted, he recounted the way God had led him in the past.
We face fear on a daily basis. As an institution in the midst of a gigantic building project, it is easy to get distracted or paralyzed by fear. For our students, stress may build as the end of the academic year draws closer. As staff, we face daily pressures to perform well and make a difference. For some, there may even be temptation to turn and run the other way.
David offers a comforting antidote for fear:
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise — in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
–Psalm 56:3-4
—Kathy McMillan is director of Employee Spiritual Care at Loma Linda University Medical Center.
