There have been times in my life where fear of knowing has shut out the burning, because I was afraid of the answer, or afraid of the consequences that knowing the truth would heap upon me. As missionaries we taught some who never came to know the truth because deep inside they did not really want to, they prayed, but without a sincere desire to know the truth, because they feared the consequences. Fear can quench the spirit.
However, there have been times when I felt both fear and the burning. One night as I was sleeping in our apartment in Germany, while Nina and the rest of the family were flying home to the United States, I was awakened in the middle of the night with an intense bosom burning, accompanied by a deep fear for the welfare of my family. I knew immediately they were in danger, and I knelt down right then and began a fast for them, pleading with the Lord that he would preserve, protect, bless and sustain them through whatever was happening. My prayers continued throughout the day, still not knowing what was happening, but knowing they needed my prayers. It wasn’t’ until much later that I heard the story of the dangers, sickness, and challenges of that 40 plus hour journey my family had suffered through.
On another occasion, while lying in my bed in metal shed situated on a Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan, while we were being attacked by rocket fire,I felt the normal human emotion of fear slowly dissipate…replaced with a deep peace, a wonderful comfort knowing that the Lord had a mission for me to do, and I was not to be killed before it was completed.
I think the difference is the focus of the fear. Fear of things and how they impact us can quench the spirit... but can also be overcome by perfect love, whereas fear for the welfare of others is a fruit of the spirit which love informs and motivates.