Fear Not or Else You Die!!!!

     I want to address something concerning "fear." There is a belief in some groups of Christianity that say "the opposite of fear, is faith," assigning shame to a person if they have fears. It suggests that if you experience fear, than you have no faith. I've even been told that having fear is the same as unbelief. Is that true, or doesn't living on this earth, predispose us to fears? Does God blame us, and in that sense, reject us if we are fearful? "Fear not little flock, it is my Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom" seems to come from the comforting and assuring heart of our Lord, and not an accusing one. If we never had fear, could we/would we experience the shadow of His wing? As little chicks we sometimes get in a frantic nervousness, and blurt out "the sky is falling; the sky is falling." We forget who is with us, and of His love. We are learning of His love each time He rescues us. We want 100% guarantee that nothing will ever harm us on this earth. I'm afraid He doesn't give us that, even against others hopeful beliefs, which they even back by Scripture to try and prove it.
     What about Job and what is written about him? The Word says that what he feared came upon him. O.K. so it did, but does that mean that whatever we fear will happen to us, too, or is it just stating a fact. If it means the former thought, then talk about making us fearful to fear!!! I think that is just the enemy's threatening quagmire he tries to put some of us in. It would go something like this: A person hears someone banging on their door at night, and it causes fear to rise up in them, and because of that, the person breaks in and does something bad to them. But if they had not feared, the person would have just walked away and changed their plans. Oh, come on now!!! You can't tell me that any person would not be fearful in that situation. But some Christians would have you believe that they are never fearful, because they have faith, and by comparison those that do have fears, are in unbelief and something bad is going to happen to them because of it.
     These screwy ideas and beliefs people have and put on others cause more harm than good. It elevates them to a superior position (at least it seems that way outwardly) while causing even more doubt and fear to those who have it. It can even diminish one's faith, thinking they are failing to believe anyway.
     How about some words of comfort and hope? Even sharing your own struggles with fears can help, instead of ostracizing and alienating others by finger pointing, even if they are weaker than you in this area.
 O.K., I feel better now.