The Spiritual Fear Of Judgment: Part Two
Fears, are the things that hold each of us back from our true potential. Last week, we looked at the fear of missing out (click HERE to read that article). This week we will cover another one of the 4 major fears found in every church, that is the fear of Judgement. We live in a society filled with comparison. When we know there is comparison around, we know that there is also judgment. Judgement can become a fear so great that it can paralyze anyone. It can keep us from even being able to sign up for even the simplest of tasks at our congregation. Fears can be a deadly thing when they appear in our OWN congregations. That is why we are covering our series over the 4 biggest Spiritual Fears. So if you want to learn more about this weeks fear: The Fear of Judgement, then keep reading.
Fear Of Judgment:
Bible Verse: 1 John 4:8 “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
Everyone has a deep desire of wanting to have people in their lives that love them, and don’t think badly of them. We all have that desire for wanting to feel included and loved. So often we become so worried about people not loving us, that it can become a fear for us. The need for others approval often turns into a fear of others judging you over the smallest of things. For some, the fear of other people possibly judging them becomes so great that it leaves them avoiding ANY situations that could lead to judgement. When we look at the root of this fear, it all stems from a feeling of needing approval. If we take the feeling of approval that we all naturally have and then ask ourselves why we have it, then we have to look to who created us. When God created us, He gave us a God shaped hole in our hearts that will lead to us always feeling no true purpose without Him. WHY? Because that God shaped hole is only filled when we truly gain a relationship with Him. That fear of judgement is supposed to be there to push us towards God. But somewhere along the way, we use that fear as a wall that holds us back from our TRUE purpose. When we let this fear take control, then we will never truly grown in our relationship with God or with others. True Christianity is about putting God first and others second, but if we live in a constant fear of judgement then we won’t get outside of our comfort zones to grow in our relationship with God and with others. Fear of judgement cannot be the thing keeping us held back from a true relationship with God. We must empty ourselves of our own fears, so we can truly experience the purpose that God has for each of us.
Ideas for Fears Holding Us Back:
Memorize 1 John 4:8. Judgment comes from not having enough love for others. So this verse points out the fact that God is love, and we should also love.
Make as long of a list as you can, by listing out all of the blessings in your life (examples: health, food, worldly possessions, pets, etc.)
Anytime you find yourself judging others, replace the thought with a prayer specifically for that person. If you want to go the extra mile, pray for something good about that person that you appreciate.
Put up post-it notes around your house that say “Grateful.” The less grateful that we are for our lives, the more we towards comparison and judgement. So remind yourself daily to be grateful, and to stop looking for the negative. It’s a retraining of our brains.
Push past your fear of being judged by signing up for one Church activity that you aren’t already apart of. If your Church doesn’t have any activities to sign up for, then replace this by doing something for another Church member THIS WEEK, even if it’s out of your comfort zone.
Anytime you have the thought “I bet they are talking bad about me.” replace that thought with 1 John 4:8. Judgment comes from not enough love, so it is wrong of us to assume that others don’t love. Choose to see love in others as well as giving love to others. God wants us to love others!
Our fears usually come from things that make us feel uncomfortable. So if helping at a certain Church event makes you uncomfortable, then find someone to go with you. Once we have experienced something one time, it becomes less of a fear for us.
Forgive! Not everyone in our lives will be working on not judging others. So when we are judged by others, we have to realize it’s a sin in THEIR hearts. Our hearts will either choose the world or God, and our actions prove what we are choosing. So worry about your own heart, and choose not to judge others.
Give the benefit of the doubt to everyone. More times than not, we aren’t the center of others conversations. When we choose to start seeing others in more a positive light, we will start to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
Conclusion:
So this week, letting go of The Spiritual Fear Of Judgement will not be a quick fix. This is a complete retraining of our mindsets, so this will take time. But if we are not working on it daily, then that fear will slowly consume us. Let’s not let the devil win! Let’s defeat the fear of judgment by showing MORE love to others! Love will overcome judgment!!
About the Author: My name is Katie, and I’m a Church of Christ Preacher’s wife in Kentucky. I am also a proud homeschool mom to two brilliant boys. I love to craft, and make and bind my own notebooks. I also make a weekly podcast show called “Just Bible No Fluff",” where I skip all of fluffy extras and hop right into a short yet impactful exegetical study of the scripture. My mission and vision in life is this: “To empower women Spiritually by enhancing their skills in deep Bible study, equipping them to effectively teach the Gospel to others, and guiding them in cultivating Spiritual growth beyond the Church building.”