The Hollow Darkness of Fear

Then Saul knew David’s voice, and said, “Is that your voice, my son David?”

David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”  And he said, “Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand? ~ 1 Samuel 26:17-18 NKJV

What would cause a man, a powerful king such as Saul, to spend nearly 15 years pursuing another man? Fear.

Saul was a fearful man. It is mentioned three times in 1 Samuel 18 that Saul fears David. Not only does he fear David, he makes large scale battle decisions based on his fear of the people rather than God. This is seen when in 1 Samuel 15:24, where Saul admits, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.”

When a leader begins to fear people more than God, this is a serious problem. Good leaders fear God alone. Good leaders realize that they will not always make the people happy. When God begins to use you, it is always a temptation to fear what other people think of you and your decisions.

2 Timothy 1:7 says of fear, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”  We can become fearful about everything: our lives, our children and our spouses. Fear can drive our lives to the opposite of what God wants for us. God has given us power, love, and a sound mind in place of fear. When we walk in fear, we do not live in these promises of God. Fear gives a spirit of weakness, hatred and paranoia.

This describes Saul perfectly. He is weak as he runs around fighting David rather than the enemies surrounding Israel. He is full of hatred towards David, so much so that he tries to murder him. Finally, he lacks a sound mind as he succumbs to paranoia and cannot control his desire to pursue David. The hollow darkness of fear surrounds Saul spiritually and mentally, while David lives in the light of God though physically forced to dwell in the darkness of caves.

Are you living in fear or faith? Are your decisions ruled by weakness or hatred? Or does your life exemplify power, love and a sound mind?

Be encouraged. He is with you.

“For the Lord is my helper, what can man do to me?”~ Hebrews 13:6

“Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”~ Isaiah 41:10

Blessings, 

Robert Furrow