I've never had a single person contact me who was fearful if Santa was going to judge them naughty or nice. The reason is obvious, they don't believe he is real, or they don't believe he has the power, or they don't believe he is alive, and therefore they do not fear him. Even though they were raised to believe in him, even though they heard songs reporting how he watches them even when they sleep ("he knows when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake...") and how they will be punished if they slip up ("he knows if you've been bad or good..."), yet nobody fears missing out on what Santa has to offer...
Well except young children who still believe in Santa... but when we stop believing in Santa we no longer fear him. Why? Because you can't fear what you don't believe.
It's interesting how many of those who suffer from OCD, Legalism, or simply a self-condemning heart worry that Christ will turn them away when the time comes.
Do you know what such fear testifies of? One, that you believe in the deity of Christ. For if you fear His judgment, you must first put Him in the judgment seat thus giving credit to Him as God for only God judges. Such fear also testifies of a person who believes in the resurrected Christ for nobody fears one who is dead. Suchfears also testify of the belief in scripture, for we have not seen these events, yet we fear them nonetheless.
To the one who fears they don't believe, I would argue to some degree they do, otherwise fear wouldn't be present. The self-condemning heart sufferer often will weaponize scripture through what they feel and condemn themselves using scripture, but it's interesting that that testifies that they hold to the authority of scripture...even if they use it in error. Fortunately, Greater is God than our hearts... (1 John 3:20).
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. - Matthew 10:28
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge... - Proverbs 1:7a
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom... - Psalm 111:10a
If you fear God, then may those verses be found encouraging to you. The problem isn't a lack of belief but rather an improper focus. You focus on the waves when you should focus on Christ.
But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” - Matthew 14:30
Would Jesus of let Peter drown had Peter not shouted "Lord, save me!"? Of course not. Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18), the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). So that was secure, but does that mean Peter felt secure? Obviously he did not. The problem wasn't that Peter wasn't secure, the problem is that Peter had his focus on the waves and let his heart be troubled. With his eyes on Jesus he walked on water, with his eyes on the waves, well that's when fear kicks in. Where should your eyes be?
looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:2
Why should your eyes be on Jesus?
Because when your eyes are on Jesus, not on the waves, you can begin to learn and know that God is love and you can come to trust in that love. And upon knowing that love you will find it drives out fear.
We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, we also are in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. - 1 John 4:16-18
If this resonated with you, here are some articles that relate well: