Fear and Comfort

“The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the comfort of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.”
—Acts 9:31

I recently came across this verse again in Acts, and the phrase struck me: “walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.”

There’s something powerful in that pairing—fear and comfort. At first glance, they seem contradictory. But in the life of faith, they belong together.

It brings to mind the justice and mercy of God. Sometimes we hear “fear of the Lord” and immediately think, Why should I be afraid of God? That reaction makes sense, especially if our image of God leans heavily toward love and gentleness.

But Scripture doesn’t shy away from the language of fear. And in some sense, we should fear God—not out of terror, but because of the sheer reality of who He is. He is holy. He is just. He is infinite. And in contrast, we are small, sinful, and dependent. When we confront the depth of our sin and the majesty of His justice, there is a rightful fear—a reverence that humbles us to the core.

And yet, we are not left in fear.

The verse continues: “with the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” That’s what changes everything. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God’s mercy—His love poured out beyond what we could ever deserve. The Spirit draws near, assuring us that even in our littleness, we are deeply loved.

So we walk in both fear and comfort. In awe of who God is, and in peace because of what He’s done. Justice and mercy. Holiness and tenderness.

That’s the beauty of life in the Spirit. We are not crushed by the fear of the Lord; we are held by the comfort of the One who has come to dwell within us.