Does God want us to be afraid of Him?

The scriptures sometimes talk about “fear of the Lord.” It comes up several times in this week’s reading. For example:

• “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7).
• “By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil” (Proverbs 16:6).
• “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

But Heavenly Father doesn’t want us to be afraid of Him, does He? That doesn’t sound like a loving, compassionate Father.

When “fear” is used in this context, it means “respect” or “reverence.” If you think about it, there’s a lot of overlap in how you act around someone you fear and how you act around someone you respect. In both cases, you defer to the other person’s opinion and let them be in charge. You try to keep them happy.

The difference—and this is a HUGE difference—is how you feel about the person. You should let God prevail because you love and trust Him and know you will be blessed for doing so, not because you’re afraid of how He’ll react if you don’t.

Elder David A. Bednar once taught: “Unlike worldly fear that creates alarm and anxiety, godly fear is a source of peace, assurance, and confidence. … [It] encompasses a deep feeling of reverence, respect, and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ, obedience to His commandments, and anticipation of the Final Judgment and justice at His hand. … Godly fear is loving and trusting in Him.”¹

Maybe you could try replacing the word “fear” with “respect” as you read the scriptures this week, and see if it helps you learn anything new!

1. “Therefore They Hushed Their Fears,” general conference, Apr. 2015.