Advice columnist Ann Landers received about ten thousand letters every month. When she was asked to name the most common problem in her readers’ lives, she said, ‘Fear! People are afraid of losing their health, their wealth, and their loved ones. People are afraid of life itself.’ If we allow it to, fear can and will control us. ‘Fear involves torment’, and until the power of fear is broken, it will keep tormenting us. When fear rules our lives, we can’t enjoy anything, or live a full life as God intended. And we can’t fully enjoy God’s blessings. Dr Caroline Leaf says that fear triggers ‘more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses and activates more than thirty different hormones and neurotransmitters.’ It’s at the root of all our stress. When fear causes a stress reaction in us, it actually ‘marinates’ our body in chemicals that can be harmful in large amounts, which threatens our physical as well as our mental wellbeing. The fear of not being accepted by others can make us develop a fake personality, stifling our true selves and hiding who God made us to be. The fear of failure can prevent us from trying new things or stretching ourselves to step out of our comfort zones. The fear of the future can prevent us from discovering and experiencing moments of joy in life today. Fear doesn’t come from God. ‘For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind’ (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). If you’re feeling fearful, reject that spirit. Draw on God’s power, focus on His unconditional love for you, and let His comforting arms surround you. It might take time to eliminate all those fearful feelings, but God’s perfect love can push out all fear (see 1 John 4:18).
