Fear

     Have you ever been told 'you might feel a lil discomfort' before?  Then when they did the procedure, you felt like yelling 'for crying out loud, THAT HURT.'  I used to be extremely fearful of needles.  If I had to give blood for some reason, I'd work myself up into a panic and be halfway to passing out before they even stuck me.  It became such a habit, that I'd warn the nurse that if I didn't lay down then I'd pass out.  When I got older, I had to check my blood every few days for awhile.  I got over the fear of giving blood with that ordeal.
     I'm still needle shy tho.  I went in for my 2nd filling in my life at the dentist's office a couple of years ago.  I noticed the dentist hiding something behind his back.  Then I saw that HUGE needle.  My tooth needed filled but my heart was more filled with fear than anything with the sight of that needle. I said, 'what are you planning on doing with THAT?'  [I'm a pretty outspoken patient]  He said it's just a lil numbing medicine.  NUH-UH. I said 'no, I'm good without it.'  I did do fine with it all and no needles. I hope he wrote that on my chart..lol..'no shots for her.'
    Fear can be a good thing tho.  It can keep us from danger and getting hurt.  Psalm 111:10 ''The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.''  God doesn't sugar-coat the pains of hell.  He clearly warns us and it should stir up a fear in us of an eternal life separated from Him.  Matthew 13:42 ''They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.''
     Put fear in its proper place and you'll be eternally blessed.