Fear wasn’t part of God’s original design for humanity. When God created Adam and Eve, they lived in perfect harmony with Him, with no shame, insecurity, or fear. But the moment sin entered the world, fear followed. Genesis 3 tells us that after Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they hid from Him. And when God called out to Adam, Genesis 3:10 (NLT) tells us that he responded: “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” From that moment, fear took hold of the human soul, but here’s a truth we must never forget; fear did not come from God. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) reminds us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” Fear is an intruder, a byproduct of separation from God, and it distorts the way we see Him, ourselves, and the world around us.
Where Did It Start?
This is where fear got its start, in separation from God. Sin fractured the trust between humanity and its Creator, and fear rushed in to fill the void. From that moment on, fear has taken root in the human soul. Instead of running to God, we often run from Him. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) encourages us: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” We can entrust God with all our problems and troubles and have faith that He will resolve them, but this isn’t what many of us do. Instead of resting in His peace and love, we wrestle with anxiety, insecurity, and the fear that He will not come when we need Him.
Fear is a spiritual weight that holds us back from walking fully in God’s promises. It paralyzes faith, twists truth, and causes us to settle for less than what God has for us. It whispers lies: What if God doesn’t come through? What if I’m not good enough? What if I fail? Fear will keep us bound if it is left unchecked. God tells us in Proverbs 3:5 that we shouldn’t lean on our own understanding but put all our trust in Him. Fear convinces us to do exactly the opposite—to trust our own understanding instead of leaning on God’s.
Don’t Let it Turn into Idolatry
Many times, idolatry creeps in subtly. We chase after financial security because we fear lack. We hold onto relationships, even unhealthy ones, because we crave validation. We obsess over achievements, believing they define our worth. But anything that competes with our devotion to God will ultimately leave us empty. True fulfillment comes when we surrender everything to Him and let Him be our ultimate source.
In today’s world, the love of money is a particularly powerful and pervasive idol. Jesus warned in Matthew 16:26 (NLT): “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” A distorted sense of value and worth can result from a relentless pursuit of wealth and material success, and it is easy for people to become obsessed with this. They get caught up in the idea that accumulated wealth will bring them the most happiness, but in truth, happiness doesn’t come from external sources. Our Heavenly Father has created us to live from the inside out.
When we give our lives to Jesus Christ, we are spiritually born again and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. He, the Spirit, comes to dwell within our body temples. Romans 5:5 (NLT) tells us: “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” This love that the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with is unlimited; it is our treasure—the source of our joy, and it all abides within. With the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to live in a way that reflects God’s character and purpose. But if we are not consciously choosing to be led by the Spirit; if we are allowing the love of money to consume our hearts, we are allowing darkness to control our souls, and this is a very dangerous way to live.
The belief that money can provide ultimate satisfaction imprisons us. It leads to emptiness and disillusionment. The Message version of Matthew 16:26 asks, “What could you ever trade your soul for?” This is a challenge to us, one that forces us to be blatantly honest and evaluate our lives, and it also challenges us to understand the value God places on our souls. He is the Creator of them, and they belong to Him. Through His infinite mercy and grace, He is not forcing us to surrender our souls to Him, but in Romans 12:1(NLT), He lovingly implores us to give our bodies to Him because of all He has done for us. He tells us, “Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” God wants all of us—our entire being, and when we surrender to His transforming power, our lives will become the masterpiece He created them to be.
Many of us have mistaken our deep spiritual hunger for what money and the world can offer us, but no amount of money, possessions, or status can fill our empty places. Nothing compares to the lasting peace and contentment that only God can provide. When money becomes our idol, we lose sight of the deeper, more enduring treasures of the soul—peace, love, and eternal purpose. This is not where we want to be. Chasing after what never truly satisfies will only leave us weary, always reaching but never fulfilled. Trusting God as our ultimate Source and surrendering our desires to Him will allow us to step into a life of true abundance. It’s a life that is not defined by what we have, but by who we belong to. Everything our souls long for is found in Him. When we finally grasp this truth, we’ll put our love for money in check, and we’ll crave more and more of God’s presence in our lives. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
“Putting the Love of Money in Check”, written for Springfield Fellowship © 2025. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.