The Blessedness of Living in Fear

“Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.” Proverbs 28:14 NIV

A sense of well-being tied to fear initially seems contradictory. How can one’s life be well if one is living in fear? This passage speaks of the fear that is above all fears—the fear of the Lord. A helpful summary of what the fear of the Lord means is “learning to practice the presence of God.” That is helpful but does not unpack the meaning in all its understandable implications.
Some Bible translations replace “blessed” with “happy”. The problem with that definition of “happy” is that it is based on how we feel. Consequently we are left with a very weakened and powerless meaning. A simple yet concise definition of the biblical word “blessed” is “deeply satisfied.” This definition makes this verse and others understandable. For example, in Matthew 5:4, Jesus says “Blessed are those who mourn”. Those who mourn are not happy, but they can be deeply satisfied. A deeply blessed person is not so because of personal circumstances. After all, struggle, trouble, temptation, difficulty, inconvenience, lack of personal comfort, and pressure do not usually make me happy. But I can be deeply satisfied without being happy on a surface level. In this verse it is learning to live in awe, obedience, and love before the face of God that makes a person deeply satisfied.
Consequently one who is living to please God will not live to please himself (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). When I choose to sin I am simply seeking to please myself. I have now set myself above God. I fear what I may miss out on what makes me happy rather than fear the Lord and what pleases Him.
Learning to fear always is what produces this state of being deeply satisfied. The word “always” includes the sense of “all day” or “throughout the day.” In other words, one who fears the Lord constantly dreads sinning against Him. The basic motivation for sin is the belief that what I am about to think on, speak, or do is better than obeying and honoring Christ. Therefore if I am not deeply satisfied in Him, I will choose a substitute, a “cistern that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13). The contrast in the verse (Proverbs 28:14) is the one who hardens his heart instead of living in constant reverence for the Lord. To harden is to resist obedience to the Lord. It is choosing to think, say, and do what He took to the cross; it is seeking to find satisfaction in something or someone other than in Christ. And the result is experiencing the unpleasant, sometimes painful, and very dissatisfying consequences of unbelief and disobedience to Scripture. A phrase from John Piper brings light to this verse: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
So, how can this verse be applied? First, memorize it word perfectly. Second, recall and review it daily and throughout the day. When tempted to disobey the Lord think: Does what I am thinking replace being satisfied with Christ? Does what I am about to say or do reveal the empty cisterns of my heart? Do I want to be blessed in the Lord (by honoring Him) or blasted with the consequences of seeking to be satisfied in myself? Do I want to be deeply satisfied or momentarily pleased?