RUNNING SCARED SAVES YOUR LIFE
Galatians 6:7-8 NLT
Don’t be misled! Remember that you cannot ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death {ruin and destruction}.
I had just left my girlfriend’s apartment after seeing The Who in concert at Vets Auditorium. It was about 2 in the morning and I was riding high from the evening. I hopped into my Roadster sports car for the long drive home. It was Dec. 2, 1975, and very cold outside. I had the radio blaring, rockin’ down the highway when suddenly, I found myself driving down the middle of the median grass of Hwy 35N. I was stunned, swerving my car back up on the road, and extremely shaken. I thought to myself, “I must have fallen asleep, which has never happened before in my life.” And no, I had not been drinking or using drugs, I never did.
I rolled the window down, to let some cold air hit my face, turned the radio up even louder, and thought, I will be fine now. Suddenly, I found myself in the median grass again. Now I was getting scared. What just happened!? I steered back onto the highway and started to tremble. I began to realize I could have easily sideswiped another car, or come out of the ditch on the other side, and had a head-on collision. I said to myself, “Mark, get your head in the game, you can’t do this again.” But once again, it happened. I just couldn’t believe it! My heart was racing, my thoughts were swirling, and my eyes were bug-eyed, wide open now. Eventually, I arrived safely home, and climbed into bed, but must confess, I just couldn’t sleep. Something was going on and I could not figure out what.
The next day I headed to work, driving my sports car as usual. I made a left turn, and my wheels went sliding toward the ditch, there was absolutely nothing I could do. Suddenly the car righted itself, I regained control, slowed the car, and made a right turn. At that moment, by itself, my accelerator surged, quickly picking up speed, in a 10mph school zone. I couldn’t stop it, so I quickly pulled it out of gear, coasting into the parking lot, and turned off the key. But the car wouldn’t shut off! Finally, it chugged and shut off. I got out of the car furious at what was happening. I went inside the factory where I worked and turned on the heat when suddenly the sound of rushing wind hit my ears. I looked out into the factory and flames were shooting out from the heater hanging from the ceiling. There was a gas leak. I jumped out the door and fell to the ground covering my head. Now let’s just say, I was really, really, really scared and extremely concerned about what in the heck was going on. I mean, someone is trying to kill me!
Without going into all the details, the next day, the same 3 things happened on my way to work, even after supposedly getting these things repaired!
I knew now, with absolute certainty, that God wanted my attention ASAP. I found out within an inch of my life you cannot ignore God and get away with it! That evening I drove my car out to a country park, got out of the car, and wept before God. I repented and gave my life 100% to Jesus Christ. I immediately drove to Des Moines, met the gal I was seeing, and told her she would never see me again. I explained what had been happening to me over the last week, that I repented and gave my life to Jesus Christ.
Here is my counterintuitive life-changing truth: I have been running scared ever since that day! Running scared has saved my life! Again and again.
Do you really understand the fear of the Lord? Do you really understand the incredible, powerful impact of fear on your life? Most Christians I have known over the course of my 47 years following Christ have not been nearly scared enough. They have never fully grasped the concept and implications of Galatians 6:7-8. They do not grasp what the fear of the Lord means. They cling to the verse in Joshua that says, “Do not tremble or be dismayed, or afraid, for the Lord your God is with you.” To which I say Amen, great verse. There are clear parameters to this command. God was sending Joshua on a mission, and the temptation was to be afraid of his enemies. God said, “Joshua, Don’t be afraid.” Why? Because I am with you.
But my friends, there are so many things you should be wisely afraid of.
I was scared to death of losing my kids to the world. This drove me to desperation for God’s help. This drove me to passionate determination to be a godly, engaged father and leader, whose faith and example inspired his kids to embrace Christ, to live in such a way as to make Christ attractive to them.
I was scared to death of the ruin and destruction that would come to my life if I ignored God and His warnings, and lived to fulfill my carnal, sinful desires, and greed for stuff. This drove me to pay careful attention to God’s word, read it, study it, and strive to obey it.
I was scared to death of complacency, of the destruction God promised would destroy the complacent man. This drove me to earnestly seek God’s wisdom. This drove me to learn, grow and change. “To treasure the words of His mouth, more than my necessary food” as Job declared.
I was scared to death of lukewarmness and apathy, of taking God and His blessings for granted, thereby missing out on even more of God’s rich blessings if only I had been devoted to prayer, to humbly, fervently, daily expressing my gratitude to God for all his previous blessings in my life. This drove me to thousands of hours of fervent, earnest prayer and time with God. Asking for God’s help and blessings and bringing all my needs and requests to God.
I was scared to death of trusting in myself, of not trusting in God. Of ending up a stunted shrub, with no hope or future, as Jeremiah talks about. This drove me to seek the Lord, to trust the Lord with all my heart, and not lean on my own understanding, but in all my ways acknowledge the Lord. It drove me to not be wise in my own eyes, but to fear the Lord and turn from evil.
I was scared to death that the sorrows, troubles, frustrations, burdens, losses, stresses, and anguishes of life would crush and overwhelm my spirit, soul, and mind. This drove me to God my Refuge, to dump on God, to pour out my heart to Him, to give Him all those burdens and cares. Those prayers literally saved my life, and kept me from a nervous breakdown and crushing my spirit.
I was scared to death of missing out on the single greatest blessing in the world: Knowing God! Fellowshiping with his Son Jesus Christ! This drove me to press on to know the Lord, day after day for the last 47 years. The secrets of the Lord are for those who fear Him and He will make them know His covenant! This is one of the primary reasons I understand the new covenant and the Gospel of grace so well! The intimate friendship of God has been the greatest blessing in my life!
I was, and am scared to death of ending up helpless in a hospital bed, being poked, prodded, and cut open by others, unable to take care of myself and my wife. I have witnessed firsthand what happens to people in hospitals, who ended up there because they neglected their health. Because they were lazy or haphazard, obstinately clinging to unhealthy ways of living, and ended up with very expensive surgeries, medications and disabilities. It drove me to exercise, eat wisely, and watch over my life and health with great care and diligent effort. Of course, I know I cannot control every health issue. However, 60 percent of illnesses are the direct result of lifestyle decisions! That is 6 out of every 10!! Do you understand that?
I am scared to death of liars and lies and the catastrophic damage they can do. I am scared to death of my own deceitful emotions and the lies they can tell. That is why I cling to God’s truth! The truth sets you free! That is why I am a fanatic about truth. It’s why I preach the truth, and expose lies wherever I find them! That is why above all else I guard and watch over my heart with ruthless vigilance. False narratives destroy lives! False narratives destroy marriages! I have watched so many women destroy their own marriages based on the false narrative they created in their mind based on their own deceitful emotions and feelings, telling them lies. It is so destructive!
I have lived through very, very difficult financial times before in my life. I know the value of a dollar. I have a wise and proper fear of being broke, of not being able to take care of my wife, or of foolish financial choices. I know how corrupt the system is, how the people of this world want to entice you and get you to buy things you do not need. This wise fear drives me to frugality. I genuinely grasp that godliness with contentment is great gain! When my 10-year-old dryer recently quit working, and the cheapest new dryer was $810, I had the old one fixed for $250, keeping the difference in a savings account. I live as though inflation and hard times are always coming after my money and devise ways to keep them from robbing and destroying me financially. This fear has saved my life from financial devastation.
I was scared to death I could end up like my own father, hardening his heart towards God and his wife and family, deciding after 25 years to walk away from his wife and kids. I know how deceived the human heart can become. I know how insidious pride can be. I know how selfish and self-centered a man can become. This drove me and drives me still to walk close to the Lord, sacrificially love and serve my wife, and guard my heart and my love for Kathy, as if my life depends on it. Why? Because it really does! Running scared has saved my marriage!!!
The greatest regret of my life is this: That among the tens of thousands of people I preached to and taught over 36 years of my life, very few of them gave heed to my warnings, and exhortations! It breaks my heart.
I close today by asking you to do this: open your Bible and read the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9:27-10:1-14 NLT. Paul includes these words “Otherwise I fear, that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified”
Running scared saved Paul’s life too! Running scared will save your life also.
Helping you become a Strong Disciple,
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Mark Darling
