“I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.” (Genesis 19:19)
When God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot did not obey His instruction to flee to the mountains because of fear. He argued with God and rationalised that he would be much safer going to a small town nearby called Zoar. God agreed to his request, but then a few verses later we read that Lot left Zoar and ended up living in the mountains after all because “he was afraid to dwell in Zoar”(verse 30).
What is the lesson here? Even though Lot went to different locations, he took his fear with him. This means Lot’s problem was not on the outside (his location) but on the inside (his fear). Fear comes from focusing on your present situation rather than on God – and it leads to wrong decisions! Human logic is one of fear’s favourite tools, so beware of rationalising God’s instruction to sidestep what He is asking you to do. When your flesh responds with fear, don’t be too quick to jump into a decision. Take time to pause and listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in your heart! Remember – we have a Friend, the Holy Spirit, who is able to overcome that monster called fear in our lives!
PRAYER: Oh Holy Spirit, replace the fear within me with a strong faith, and replace the anxiety within me with a quiet confidence, in Jesus’ name!
