Chapter 2: 4
The Negative Effects of Fear (3)

Abraham has lost his internal Peace and Security, his fellowship with the Lord, his straightforward life, and his marital happiness.  Is this all what Abraham has lost because of his fear? No, my dear friend. Fear and its subsequent wrong decisions cause us to suffer a lot; so be cautious because fear involves torment.

Fifth: Losing Life of testimony
Abraham, God’s great man, was exposed to reprehension by Pharaoh who said to him: what is this
You have done to me “and Pharaoh called Abraham and said: what is this you have done to me, why did you not tell me that she was your wife, why did you say: she is my sister? I might have taken her as my wife” (Genesis 12:18-19).

And Abraham was exposed to a harder rebuke by Abimelech when the same thing was repeated in Gerar. “And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him: what have you done to us? How have I offended you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done”. (Genesis 20:9)

Fear weakens our testimony of God and makes others direct the blame on God and on us. Although Abraham’s life was totally a testimonial of God and this situation was only a small stain on an otherwise a very clean and white dress. As he has had a marvelous testimony in the eyes of Canaanites when Sarai died and he asked them to have a space for a tomb to bury his wife. They said to him: you are a leader of God among us. In our best tombs you bury your dead. Due to his fear, he has behaved in a way that exposed him to reprehension and blame from Pharaoh and Abimelech and he lost his testimony before the people of Canaan.

Many of the believers have their own life A True Testimonial of God and have their faithful service and testimony but because of the fears that they are exposed to, during their life journey, they act wrongly in a way that their deeds become a motive for blasphemy thus losing testimony.

Dear reader
Live your life as witness of God and be an example to those who are around you.  Remember that actions speak louder than words.

You might be led by fear to do things that could wrong your image and your faith and make you lose your testimony which could be irreversible. Therefore, put your trust in God and deliver him everything that worries you and scares you and wait upon his will. He will definitely guide you and lead you to what is in your best interest and "you experience and prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2)

Sixth: The harvest of fear
Abraham harvested a bitter crop due to his fears and his going down to Egypt although he might have looked like he lost nothing and that he won and benefited from going to there when Pharaoh gave him many possessions and also gave him a maid “Hagar” .But, in fact, it was the contrary, he lost a lot from going down to Egypt.

All the possessions of flocks and herds etc. given to him by Pharaoh were one of the reasons for the strife between his herdsmen and those of Lot. “ the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abraham’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock" (Genesis 13:6-7).

While in Egypt also, Lot had a different view on things which made him see Sodom and Gomorrah as God’s Heaven. Here Abraham lost Lot because of his going to Egypt.

While for Hagar whom he took from Egypt and then married her, it was the cause for his loss of peace in the family. For Ishmael has come to life from her marriage to Abraham and became a cause of Grief and bitterness to Abraham and Sarai and all Abraham’s generation.

The richness of the world brings with it fatigue and failure while the richness given by God does not add sorrow with it. “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich and He adds no sorrow with it" (Proverb 10:22)

Dear reader
Beware of fear and falling into the world, God will rescue you from the experience, but His rescue does not prevent you from sufferings as a harvest of what your hands have planted.

Magdy Samuel