Fear is an emotional response to a perceived threat or potential danger. It can motivate a number of physical responses including violence, retreat, or paralysis. Many times the intuitive response motivated by fear actually makes the problem worse, consequently increasing the fear. This makes it important to be able to suppress this reflex in many situations for our own protection. Those who are unable to do that will be controlled by their fears. Those who can, will have the freedom to react in better ways.
Fear takes many forms, and comes from many sources. To be free is to not be encumbered by fear. Not necessarily to be without fear, but to have mastered fear, so that while we may still feel it in some form, it no longer controls our actions. Suppressing our fears alleviates the emotional turmoil by avoiding or ignoring the source of the fear, but even taking that countermeasure is to give some aspect of control over to that fear. Only through God can we truly overcome our fears, but that usually takes place by facing them directly in some form. Other people can assist us in the process of overcoming our fears. Observing the outcome of their confrontation with something we fear, can give us the confidence to face it ourselves.
Fear can be a very powerful tool, and is almost always abused. The media uses it to increase their viewers, and therefore their profits. Politicians and governments use it to increase their power. The devil uses it to paralyze people in their despair.
So what about "good" fear, which we have been taught helps us? Can fear protect us from things that can hurt us? Fear and respect are not the same thing. Respect is to let intellectual awareness of something's significance influence our actions. We can have respect for things that are powerful or potentially dangerous, without the emotional aspect of fearing them.
God wants us to respect him, because he wants us to love him, and we can't truly love someone we don't respect. But God doesn't want us to fear him, because we can't truly love someone whom we fear. ("There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." 1 John 4:18 NIV) We can be afraid of hurting someone we love, and similarly be afraid of offending someone we love, not because we fear what they will do to us in return, but out of respect for their desires and preferences. This is the type fear we should have of God. Sin separates us from God, so it should be avoided, not for fear of Him, but by love for Him.
I once heard it said that: "freedom is the strength to do what you know is right." That is, the strength to overcome fear, and not be limited by it. Suppressing your fear does not lead to freedom, only confronting and overcoming our fears will allow us to truly be free. ("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)
I agree with this: "Not necessarily to be without fear, but to have mastered fear, so that while we may still feel it in some form, it no longer controls our actions" I've noticed that the same thing goes for worry, and for pain. It's ok to plan for the future, but being controlled and dictated by a fear of it is the opposite of freedom. Likewise, it's ok to grieve a loss, but to be consumed with and dictated by pain is the opposite of freedom. It's funny how emotions like fear can become addictions.
ReplyDeleteThe definition you quoted "freedom is the strength to do what you know is right." reminded me of a similar quote I heard once: "Courage does not mean being without fear; it means being afraid and yet doing the right thing regardless."
Great post!