Fixated on Fear
We live in a culture of fear. We are surrounded and bombarded by messages every day telling us that we should be afraid. Never in my life have I seen so many people who are living in a perpetual state of fear, and it is truly devastating.
The article we will look at today is about one of the first songs I wrote, called “Shelter in the Storm”. During this time in my life, I was faced with so many fears that I could not name them all. Fear for my daughter’s safety, fear of failure, fear of falling out of favor with God, fear of financial problems, fear of getting hurt emotionally… the list went on. During this time, God inspired me to write the words, “You are my God. You are my shelter in the storm, and I love you, Lord!” Over time, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I learned how to hand my fear over to God and be free from it.
The fear response, like pain, was built in to us as a protection mechanism; it serves a clear purpose in our lives. For example, if we see a mother bear in the woods, we should have a healthy fear that tells us that it is not ok to walk up and poke her baby! And a healthy fear of heights is good to keep us from dangling over the edge of a cliff. The key word here is healthy fear. There are real dangers in this world, and healthy fear keeps us from taking unnecessary chances.
But there is also fear that is very unhealthy. Chronic and/or exaggerated fear is extremely damaging to every aspect of our lives, which is why it is one of Satan’s most powerful tools.
- It causes mental health problems, such as anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and PTSD. It can also worsen or complicate other chronic conditions, such as bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia.
- It damages our physical bodies by weakening our immune system and causing a whole host of chronic issues, including heart disease, intestinal problems, memory impairment, fertility issues, accelerated aging and premature death.
- It affects our ability to make decisions and react to situations, making us less capable of dealing with dangerous situations.1
- It damages relationships when we isolate ourselves or someone else out of fear, become self-absorbed and focused on ourselves and our fears, or when we think negatively about those who do not share our fears.
- It detracts from our peace, joy, and overall quality of life when we take precautions that outweigh any real threats.
- It damages our relationship with God when we choose fear over trust.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
The Bible is clear that we are NOT to live in chronic or exaggerated fear. So how do we stop?
- Pray. Tell God what you fear and ask for peace and discernment in all situations. Ask him to help you discern truth from fiction. Every time you feel unhealthy or over-exaggerated fear, pray through it. Hand your fear over to God and ask for his protection.
- Confess the sin of chronic or over-exaggerated fear. Our culture wears fear and anxiety like a badge of honor. This culture values self-centered focus and mocks faith and trust in a living God. Guard yourself against this tendency, and when you fall victim to it, repent of it.
- Turn off all major news networks, and stop getting your facts from social media!! All of them thrive on creating a culture of fear based on exaggeration, misinformation, and outright lies, because if they can keep people afraid, people will return to them for more information! By getting people hooked on fear, they know they will get repeat business. Don’t let yourself be manipulated in this way. Do your own research on critical issues, and look at the real facts.
- Stay in God’s Word. Instead of filling your mind with garbage, fill it with truth. This will help you stay focused on what is important, and it will give you discernment.
- Accept the fact that bad things will happen. We live in a sinful world, and bad things will happen, regardless of how many precautions we take. And when they happen, we will be better equipped to deal with them if we are not living in fear. Remember that fear will actually make every situation worse and impair your ability to handle problems when they do happen.
- Lighten up! Our culture would have us drown ourselves in negativity, emotionally heavy topics, distress, and drama. Take time every day to laugh. Watch a comedy or read a joke. Don’t take yourself too seriously, but instead, look for the positive things in life.
- Focus on others over yourself. Fear leads to an unhealthy focus on yourself that actually makes the fear and anxiety worse. Focus on loving and serving others. How can you best serve others today?
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT)
Dear God,
Today I lay my fears at your feet. I understand that you are the Creator of the universe and that nothing is too big for you. Show me where I have let my fear get in the way of my health, my relationships, and my relationship with you. Forgive me for that and fill me with your peace. Help me to discern healthy fear from the fears that culture imposes on me and that Satan uses to sabotage me. Fill my mind with truth, honor, purity, thankfulness, and all that is good, keeping it free from Satan’s lies and deception. Help me to trust you in all circumstances, so that I can worry about nothing. Thank you for always loving me and watching over me, my friends, and my family. Amen
Songs of Victory
Citations:
- Impact of Chronic Fear. https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/impact-fear-and-anxiety#:~:text=Fear%20weakens%20our%20immune%20system,ageing%20and%20even%20premature%20death.
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Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
