Are you suffering right now and wondering why? You keep trying to figure it out in your head, and to be honest you are finding yourself angry with God: bitter, resentful and even comparing yourself to other people. Maybe you’re wondering why you have it so hard and they don’t.
I can understand this completely because I have been there. What has allowed me to continue to follow God, growing in my relationship with him to follow the greatest commandment, is fearing God as Job shows us.
When you fear the Lord like Job did, you gain wisdom to trust God, which brings maturity in your relationship with him to accept what is happening to you even when you don’t understand (and may never).
Walking in the fear of the Lord is loving him. He loves you so much and this wisdom will help you move forward with a new perspective of accepting whatever is happening to you.
What Does It Mean to Fear God in the Bible?
Fearing God means you yield to him, obeying him, respecting his position as the deity and you as his servant, his child. It is being in reverence of him.
You accept this and look up to him for all things, knowing his ways and wisdom are the best. It’s knowing your place in your relationship with him and responding rightly in it, leaning on him for knowledge and in every way because he has the best and loves you so much.
He will never steer you wrong because you are his beloved child. Knowledge grows your character in being more like Christ.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7, ESV)
You should want to know him more because that is the knowledge you need. So when you ask yourself “what does the fear of the Lord mean?” you can know it means yielding to him and trusting his wisdom and his ways.
It means knowing he loves you so much, no matter what he allowed to happen. Your suffering has purpose and is not for no reason. He will use it for your good, such as bringing about inner change that you need to be more like him and to help others. These are the greatest blessings.
Why Is It Important to Fear God?
Why should we fear the Lord? Fearing God is important for many reasons, and there are many benefits of fearing God. It allows you to gain wisdom to live your best life as you seek God, and to endure the suffering even when you don’t understand.
Having wisdom makes you act rightly before God and allows you to live in peace, free from being anxious and stressed. When you are fearing God you are loving him because you are showing him and others that you trust him no matter what happens.
To fear the Lord your God includes always acknowledging and remembering that everything you do in this life will be judged.
“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, ESV)
There are consequences of not fearing God. You don’t want to be subject to his discipline. You want to do what he says by fearing him and following his commandments because he loves you.
He gave his son to die on the cross for you, taking on all the judgment that you deserved; you must respond with love and gratitude by obeying him and fearing him. You want to fear God with the right heart because you love him.
A good father needs to punish his children at times to show them the right way to live because it is what is best for them. God has to discipline you when you do wrong—you need to know this is possible but that it is good and loving.
Fearing God reminds us of this and gives us a deeper relationship with him: depending on him, obeying him, trusting him, and having faith… all to live the best life in a good relationship with God. Fear of God in the Bible is important to put God in his rightful place and allows you to rely on him completely.
Fearing God: How Do You Fear the Lord?
When you are struggling to understand why you are having to suffer through something awful, you want to learn to fear the Lord to endure and have peace in it.
Practically knowing what that looks like is found in examples of “fear of the Lord” though the lives of biblical figures such as Job. They show you characteristics of the fear of God that you can practice.
Below, you will learn how you can fear God to persevere through your suffering when you don’t understand: because, like Job, you may not. Job had to endure much suffering and didn’t understand why, but he learned to fear the Lord as his answer to find peace… and you can too.
This book shows you that God is just. No matter what happens—and you may not understand why you had to suffer it—you can move forward, learning to trust God’s wisdom and knowing he is just, no matter what.
Trust the ways of the Lord because he is so good and has the best for you. He is such a loving father. He will make something good come out of this hard time, even if you don’t see it right now.
1. Remember That God Knows Everything
We can spend a lot of time trying to figure out why we are suffering. Job’s friends tried to help him by providing reasons for his difficult season. God loved Job so much that he spoke with him as Job wanted.
God spoke to Job, showing him that he knows all things, by asking him questions about creation, etc. He reminded him how he is against evil. Job soon comes to admit God as supreme.
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2, ESV)
God’s understanding is all encompassing and recognizing that he sees the bigger picture and is in control will help you to trust him and have faith to fear him.
You don’t know everything and don’t need to. You are his child. He will show and reveal to you what you need to know.
Knowing everything isn’t always good. He protects us and maybe knowing isn’t good for you. Don’t try to figure things out on your own or take matters into your own hands. Surrender and trust instead. Remember the truth of who God is to fear him.
2. Remember That God Is Above You
Fearing God looks like remembering that God is above you. God showed Job this.
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?” (Job 38:4-5, ESV)
Putting God as first, above you, looks like praying about all things and seeking him in all things. Leaning on him always and asking him what to do. Respect what he tells you to do, acknowledging he knows best.
Yield to him because he loves you so much. You have to remember his love for you to submit to him, to fear him, and your heart has to be right to do it out of love for him.
You may not know why you had to suffer through this bad thing but you can know that accepting his wisdom is the best. You will then come to a place where you don’t need to understand.
You can definitely ask him anything because he always wants to hear what is on your heart—your deepest feelings, sorrows, and thoughts—so much, but you can grow to not question him but instead trust him.
Make sure you go to God with the right heart and attitude, not like Job. Whatever happens, you can learn to accept he is just when you put him above you always, knowing his love for you.
3. Repentance Towards God
How to fear God includes repenting. Job repented for bitterness and his claims that God is not fair.
“… therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:6, ESV)
Fearing God is acknowledging when you are wrong and repenting. Maybe you have bitter feelings toward God in your suffering or have said or thought things that are untrue about God. Repent to God and he will forgive you.
This shows that you don’t know it all, that he is above you and that you need him. You can express it all to God; don’t tell lies about him to others because of your bitterness, or test him. You need to always respect him and be in reverence to him.
He is God and his son took your place on the cross. Love him no matter what; he has good for you in this.
When you are suffering and don’t understand why, fearing God is the way to get through it. There are many scriptures on the fear of the Lord, including in Proverbs. Specifically, the book of Job can help you learn how to fear God in times of suffering. Fearing God includes remembering that God knows everything, knowing that he is above you, and repenting to God when needed. Having the spirit of the fear of the Lord within you is so important to get through this time.
2 Responses
Your articles are so helpful. Thank you.
Hi, Linda.
Thank you so much! All glory to God. I’m so thankful that they’ve been helpful to you.
It’s so wonderful to hear from you!