Everyone deals with fear at some point in their lives.  I have picked five main facts about fear.  We already looked at Number One: God Says Don’t, Number Two: Fear is a Loner, and Number Three: Fear is NOT a Given.  Today let’s take a look at Number Four.  

NUMBER FOUR:  FEAR CAUSES FORGETFULNESS

“I, even I, am He who comforts you. 
Who are you that you fear mere mortals, 
human beings who are but grass, 
that you forget the LORD your Maker, 
who stretches out the heavens and who lays 
the foundations of the earth, that you live 
in constant terror every day because of 
the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? 
For where is the wrath of the oppressor?” 
~~Isaiah 51:12-13~~

I love how this verse begins with God’s declaration that He is the One who comforts us.  The Hebrew word for comfort (nacham) uses two English words to completely explain the meaning it holds – to be comforted (to give strength and hope to; to ease the grief or trouble of) and to be consoled (to alleviate the grief, sense of loss, or trouble of someone).  Not only does God give strength and hope to us, but He also is able to alleviate the grief and sense of loss we feel when hard and fearful times hit.  

God unequivocally states that He is “able” to comfort us, but as we focus on temporal problems, we forget “the LORD (our) Maker”.  The Hebrew word for forget (shakach) means to mislay; to be oblivious of due to lack of memory or attention.  What comes to mind is the saying – out of sight, out of mind. 

What is the condition of your heart today?  Has the busyness of life caused you to lay Jesus aside so you can get ‘er done?  If the answer is yes, that may explain why fear tends to take over your heart and mind when troubles come.  

I know from experience that it’s far to easy to get so preoccupied with what is going on around you that you forget the One living inside you. 

The Spirit of the One who created heaven and earth dwells within you and is totally able to comfort and console you through whatever comes your way.  That segues nicely into the next fact about fear.  Next time we will look at the Fact Number Five:  Fear Focuses on Circumstances.