Overcoming the Overwhelming: Part 2

Fear is a very real part of life. A certain amount of fear is necessary to actually live! If we weren't "afraid" of being in a car accident, drivers would not be cautious and there would be a lot more accidents than there already are. Some fears however, are detrimental to our lives as Christians. Elizabeth Elliott compares fear to another strong human emotion: "People who have themselves experienced both grief and fear know how alike those two things are ... they are equally disabling, distracting, and destructive."(1.) Disabling, in that fear can prevent you from experiencing new things or enjoying the fullness of God's will. Distracting in that fear will take your focus off God and His Word as well as your responsibilities in life. Destructive in that your peace is destroyed and you are unable to accomplish what God has called you to do.

I'm sure you have seen this at work in someone else's life, if not even in your own. I faced debilitating fear when I went through panic attacks and the surrounding stress. It is important for me to point out that not all fear is caused by a lack of faith or spiritual weakness. Sometimes fears or depression is brought on by a physical condition, whether in our bodies or a short-circuit in our brain. If you face continued fears, you may need to speak to a health professional. He or she can tell you whether or not you need to seek further help. The important thing to remember is that you are not a "bad" Christian or un-Christian because you have a problem. This problem is not always caused by a lack of trust or faith in God.

Even Paul fought a battle. Take a look at 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Paul speaks of his "thorn in the flesh." We don't know what this thorn was it could have been physical or mental or spiritual. Paul asked repeatedly for this thorn to be removed (v.8) Jesus's answer to him is a promise to us as well in whatever situation we face: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." We like Paul, can take heart that God will use our weakness for His Own glory and through our weakness God gives us strength. (vv. 9-10) "All things work together for good." Romans 8:28

God's anecdote to fear is love.

• 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but ... of love...”
• Romans 8:39 Nothing can separate us from God's love. "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature [insert fear], shall be able to separate us from the love of God"
• 1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment" This is the key verse for me. As I spend more time with God, His love fills my being. As I am filled with His love, there is less and less room for fear. I picture the love squeezing out fear, or just kicking it out the door!
  

Like I said above, not all fears are harmful. The Bible states a necessary "fear" - the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is not an overwhelming scared feeling, but rather a feeling of awe and respect for our Creator. When we have a healthy fear of the Lord, our irrational fears have to step aside.

Here are a few facts about the fear of the Lord:

• It is the beginning of Wisdom (Ps 111:10 and Prov. 9:10)
• Is clean (Ps.19:9)
• Prolongs Days (Prov. 10:27)
• Is strong confidence, a place of refuge (Prov. 14:26)
• Is a fountain of life (Prov. 14:27)
• To depart from evil (Prov. 16:6)

How wonderful to know that when life seems dark, we can trust in the Lord and run to Him in our time of need. His love is there to comfort us and cast out our bad fears, and when we fear Him, we have a strong confidence, a refuge, and life.
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(1.) Twelve Baskets of Crumbs, Elizabeth Elliott, 1976.

Overcoming the Overwhelming

Fears can become overwhelming, whether the source of fear is real or perceived. Sometimes fear is necessary to encourage us to action, like when you meet that bear in the path, or even when you are dreaming that snakes are snapping at your sandaled toes. (My squeal woke me up early this morning… I’m so tired of dreaming every night!) Those are the more real fears. (O.K. so the dream wasn’t exactly real, but it was real to me at the time!) :)

Other times fear comes from unknown sources, or as a result of stress or physical problems. The past several months have been a time of learning for me. Sometimes we don’t even realize how much stress we have been under, until after it is gone. When the body has been in overdrive for so long, you get used to it. Then when the time comes to relax, you often get sick. (Example: One of my good friends was a student teacher last semester, as well as working at her regular job. She was a VERY busy lady. On spring break, she totally took off: no school and no work. She got sick. Kind of a bummer way to spend a break, huh?)

I’ve had panic attacks during or after times of stress. These are very frightening. It’s like the adrenaline rush when you see that bear in the path, but there’s no bear. It’s a feeling of a loss of control, or that you are going crazy. (For a more detailed description, click here.) If you suffer from this, I encourage you to talk to someone about it. You aren’t going crazy, and it is a condition that can be helped. Just understanding the disorder is a big step in helping overcome it. (If you want to talk to me, just leave your email address in a separate comment. I won’t publish the comment and I will email you as soon as I can.)

For now, I would like to give some practical suggestions on overcoming fears.

• Pray- We can bring our fears, real or imagined, to God who understands us, knows us, and remembers that we are human. 1 Peter 5:7 encourages us to cast all our cares upon Him, “for He careth for you.”

• Read the Bible- Have an arsenal of Scripture ready for when the fears attack. This takes preparation. Just as a soldier prepares for battle months or years before, it is important to have your weapons ready to battle fear. These Scriptures become a lifeline. Memorize them. Post them where you are likely to see them.

• Control your thoughts – It is important to dwell on what is real, on what is true. (Philippians 4:8) Don’t focus on the “what ifs” of your situation. Think on the Scriptural principals, God loves you and will take care of you no matter what happens. Don’t let your mind dwell on the negative.

• Reach out for support – allow someone to help you. Share your fears with someone who cares about you. Just sharing what is bothering you takes some of the power of that fear away. It can give you a fresh perspective.

• Listen to the right music – fill your mind with those things that honor God and bring your thoughts toward Him. Just singing or listening to encouraging songs can help alleviate fears. (A song that really helped me is The Healer by the Talley Trio, illustrated by the painting above.)
  

Next time I will share more Scriptural principals on dealing with fear, but for now, let me leave you with a verse that has been my lifeline.

2 Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

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Picture Courtesy of:
Tapestryproductions.com
For more information on the painting click here, for more information about the artist click here.