When we “dread” something, it is likely a sign that we have gotten ourselves into an appointment or plan that is not of God. Dread is a very important matter which must be dealt with each time it surfaces.
To dread means: uneasiness in face of something ahead
It is so very important to commit the issue to God in prayer when we dread something that lies ahead.
Sometimes we are going in a wrong way and God will lead us to make changes to completely remove the planned event.
We have to be willing to change. Even when we have given our word to someone, if we dread that which lies ahead, we might need to get out of the situation.
Two scriptural examples are as follows.
Prov. 6:1-5 ... My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Mt. 14:1-10 ... At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger. And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
Herod didn't want to behead John the Baptist but "for the oath's sake" and also to save face in front of his “friends”, he did behead John the Baptist. How much better for him had he just backed down from his oath, from his own word, and refused to do this evil.
There are times it is better to cancel the dreaded meeting or event when possible.
Only through asking God, can we be assured in what we should do in such cases
Here is an example I had many years ago of "dread" ...
I had closed my business in Dallas because I was persuaded I was to go into the ministry. But I had nowhere to go. For six-months I lived off the money from the sale of the business merchandise. I stayed at my apartment and read Bible during this time.
A job opened at Christ for the Nations school in Dallas. I prayed, of course, and seriously considered the job. It was Dean of Women at the college. But I found I just didn't want to go there. (dread)
At one point the thought came, "You just don't want to be that far away from Neiman-Marcus (a department store)" That was so silly. I hardly ever went to Neiman’s and rarely purchased anything there. I knew the devil was trying to get me to take that job. I declined the job and continued staying at home with no prospects for employment but I did have money from my business and had no lack.
About a month later, God awoke me in the night with what I believe to have been the loud voice (like a trumpet sounding) of an angel with the words: Hartford, Seattle, KWJS ... This caused me to go on radio and within a week of hearing this word I was broadcasting exhortations on radio station KWJS. Within the year, I was on radio from east coast to west coast of USA. This was the plan of God for me and not Christ for the Nations where the dread was.
*****
Here is a wonderful example of working through dread by turning to God. This is a report from Pam Padgett, in our little church group.
Pam says ...
Many years ago when I first started going to college, God showed Himself strong on my behalf.
My older sister had been at college two years when I started attending the same school. She dated a man who was a member of a fraternity, and had become a member of the fraternity's "women's auxiliary", assisting with fraternity social functions. She was very excited for me to join the social circles she was in, and especially wanted me to meet members of the fraternity.
The first week of school my sister invited me to go to a student bar where many of the fraternity guys gathered on Thursday nights. I went, but found what was going on there to be so bad (lewdness, drunkenness) that I was unable to stay and I walked back to the dormitory.
A week or so later my sister asked if I'd go to an outdoor luau with one of the freshmen pledges at the fraternity. The luau site was about 20 miles away near a river, and there would be a campfire. The setting was very appealing to me, plus I was excited about having a date, and I agreed to go.
Then, a few days before the luau, my sister told me that arrangements had been made for one of the other fraternity guys to take me to the luau because my date would be spending the day at the luau site building a hut for us ... a young man I had never even met was building a hut "for us"!
Suddenly the reality of this luau became very clear to me. This was not going to be people sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows. The lewdness and drunkenness I had seen at the student bar was probably mild compared to what would be going on at this luau ... and I wouldn't be able to walk home.
I told my sister that I couldn't go along with this and did not want to go, but she kept insisting that it was too late for me to back out, that it was too late for this guy to find another date.
I turned very strongly to God, asking Him to somehow get me out of this situation. There seemed no way out. At one point I asked God to let me have appendicitis, preferring to be in a hospital having surgery than to go to this luau.
The morning of the luau I woke up and checked to see if I might have any pain that would indicate appendicitis, and was disappointed that I felt fine.
I kept praying for God to somehow work this out. Time was really running out!
When I looked outside, it was raining a little, but not much. However, the rain became heavier and heavier as the day went on.
Around 2 pm I received a call from the fraternity guy who planned to take me to the luau site. He told me how sorry he was to have to tell me this, but the luau had to be cancelled. The luau site had been totally flooded, washing away all the huts that had been built, which would include the hut my date had built for us.
He told me how long the luau had been held at this same site (many years) and, although there had been rain at times in the past, nothing like this had ever happened before, flooding and causing the luau to be cancelled.
I rejoiced, knowing that God had delivered me.
*****
Another example:
I was watching the Ken Burns TV series on The Civil War (1860-65 in USA).
As I watched the mistreatment of slaves I was so upset and found myself being pulled deeper into this conflict until I was reminded of the following scriptures which set me in the way of God and removed me from the "good" (and bad) of this world.
Jn. 18:36 ... Jesus said ... My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from hence.
I Cor. 7:20-22 ... Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
By these two scriptures, I knew that I was not to involve myself in the strife and worldly disputes of things like The Civil War. ...even when those things are unfair and terrible, for the kingdom of God is not of this world.
*****
We, like those who have gone before us, look for a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. (II Peter 3)
We will never be able to make this present world righteousness no matter what we do.
And John said: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness I Jn. 5:19
And Paul said this world would not get better but worse.
II Tim. 3:13-17 ... But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
II Peter 3:13-14 ... Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.
So by this, I freed myself from my own emotions and preferences and from the campaigns of worldly men who think they do good.