What Do We Fear?
As I opened my scriptures this morning, the first page I turned to was in the Bible Dictionary; fear.
There are two types of fear - a godly fear that invokes reverence and awe in, “and is therefore an essential part of the attitude of mind in which we ought to stand toward the All-holy God.”
The second type of fear comes from the fall of Adam.
“On the other hand fear is spoken of as something unworthy of a child of God, something that “perfect love casteth out” (1 Jn. 4:18). The first effect of Adam’s sin was that he was afraid (Gen. 3:10). Sin destroys that feeling of confidence God’s child should feel in a loving Father and produces instead a feeling of shame and guilt. Ever since the Fall God has been teaching men not to fear, but with penitence to ask forgiveness in full confidence of receiving it (Fear; Bible Dictionary).”
Satan told Adam and Eve that they needed to hide because they were “naked.”
That is fear.
And with that fear comes shame, guilt and feelings of discouragement.
Regardless of our mistakes, we can always approach our Savior in prayer.
As Elder Brad Wilcox taught in his October 2021 General Conference address: They (those who have felt the effects of sin and confiding in God) struggle to see God as He is—a loving Father who meets us in our need and knows how to “give good things to them that ask him.” His grace is not just a prize for the worthy. It is the “divine assistance” He gives that helps us become worthy.
Yes, “sin destroys that feeling of confidence God’s child should feel in a loving Father,” but that doesn’t mean we cannot approach Him.
What if we are in that situation and we do feel guilt and shame?
What then? How do we get rid of it?
I believe Doctrine & Covenants 121:45 offers a remedy: “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.”
Think less of ourselves and focus more on others.
That is step number one.
Second, we need to continually fill our minds with more virtuous - that which is of moral excellence - thoughts for then “shall [our] confidence wax strong in the presence of God.”
Confidence in the Lord and our ability to approach Him, comes as a result of serving others and changing the way we view ourselves, and the world around us.
That sounds like repentance doesn’t it?
The Bible Dictionary’s definition of repentance “denotes a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world.”
“When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last (Be Still, My Soul).”