Fear affects our thinking

Bienhome Muivah *

Almost without exception in both the medical and counseling fields, people who seek treatment began their journey toward health and recovery by providing a thorough description of the symptoms. For instance, we recognize that a scratchy throat and ache joints, and the onset of sneezing are symptoms of a cold or the flu: Most physical illness give an early warning that something is not right within our bodies, and physicians listen carefully to our description of the symptoms. In the case of the flu, taking aspirin may mask the symptoms and help us feel better, but they won’t cure the flu. Treatment requires that we pop vitamins, gulp orange juice, get extra rest, and maybe visit the doctor for antibiotics.

It is the same in counseling with people who have problems in their marriages, emotions, thinking, or behavior. Almost without exception, those who come for counseling, regardless of problems, begin by giving a thorough description of their symptoms, how problems are affecting their lives. Successful treatment for the body and personal problems is critically related to understanding the symptoms.

Unharnessed fear distorts thinking. The wise King Solomon said, “As [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7).What Solomon meant was the most of our actions and emotions are initiated in our thoughts. David the psalmist prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23,24).

Satan sends his fear into undisciplined, self-satisfied or formerly peaceful areas of our lives to keep us from correct, truthful, Biblical thinking. These looming terrors obscure our vision of God’s truth so that our thoughts become dominated by the emotional reaction to the problem, and we fail to adhere to the facts of His promises. Fears of what others do, fear of retaliation, humiliation, failure, and God’s judgment are all part of his arsenal, resulting in distorted thinking. In this way our adversary not only prevents people from seeking salvation through Christ, he also blinds Christians to ways they can apply God’s teaching to their lives, keeping them from realizing their full potential.

Fear causes us to think irrationally: To think irrationally means that our thoughts do not harmonize with reality. Interpreting a circumstance through fear can create an unreal scenario.

Fear casts doubt on God’s forgiveness: Fear that can cause us to doubt that we are truly forgiven of our sins is another type of fear-induced distorted thinking. One of the most glorious promises in scripture is found in John’s first letter. No wonder then that the adversary attacks this truth with such intensity. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John1:9).Despite this great promise that God has forgiven their past sins, many Christians continue to suffer a controlling doubt-induced fear.

Recognizing that we stand guilty before the righteousness of God Most High first brings us to repentance and on to salvation through Jesus Christ who took the punishment for our sins. Recognizing that we are guilty of continuing in sin, falling short of the glory of God and grieving His loving, jealous heart plays a positive role in prodding us to walk in a manner worthy of our crucified and risen savior. But when we nurture guilt until unbelief and fear dominate our lives, hamper our human relationships and block our fellowship with God, we give place to the adversary.

Satan wins a battle in spiritual warfare if he can get us to question God’s forgivenesswhich leads to disbelief in His promises. Inspite of God’s promise that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2), many Christian live in fear because of their disbelief in God’s forgiveness and all the while the Deceiver throws back his head and laughs.

God forgives all our sins-past, present, and future. We no longer need to carry the guilt; Jesus paid for our sins on the cross. We must accept His gracious acquittal! We need to accept supernatural forgiveness-unconditional, undeserved, and limitless in scope. When we are unwilling to believe God’s offer of complete forgiveness we are incarcerated ourselves in a prison cell of fear and doubt which is unbelief.

Fear creates the illusion of perfection:Perfectionism-not the good kind that the New Testament says we all must strive for, but the kind that drives people to try to maintain complete control-is another fatal symptom of fear induced distorted thinking. Because we are afraid, we try to control our own circumstances as well as those of people who are close to us. Our distorted thinking assumes that we can avoid fear if we keep everything under control. Perfectionists seem to expend excessive amounts of energy trying to maintain control.

Gymnast Christy Henrich was a perfectionist, and in her fear of failure, she looked for complete control of her situation. This need for control involved her eating and her obsession with her weight that resulted anorexia which cost Christy her life. Unfortunately, it is not humanly possible to regulate every circumstance of our own lives, let alone the lives of others.

Ironically, trying to love a perfect life often leads to a fear dominated life. Fear and control seem to feed on each other-fear creates the need to control, but the struggle for complete control generates intensive feelings of fear and frustration. The pattern of behavior is similar to an obsessive compulsive disorder. An obsessional thought, derived from fear, leads to some kind of compulsive behavior intended to exorcise fear. Compulsive behaviors usually centre around a person’s living or working space. Our familiar example of compulsive hand washing like that of Shakespeare’s guilt-ridden Lady Macbeth.

It is truly difficult to imagine the enormous amount of energy required to insist on excessive orderliness and control in a disordered over-changing world. The thought distortion behind such behavior seems obvious-“I am afraid that if I don’t keep everything under control, and my life perfectly organized, I will not be worthy or adequate”. Regardless of the terms we use to describe it-burnout, emotional breakdown, or psychotic break-when a person hits the wall, exhausted and emotionally broken, when control is no longer possible, it is a terrifying experience.

Since one of the Satan’s primary targets is our thinking and imagination, is it any wonder that the Bible contains more than 300 references to the mind? Paul assures us that, as Christians, we have the mind of Christ(I Cor 2:16). Also he says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but he transformed by the renewing of your mind…”(Rom 12:2).

Peter likewise tells us to “prepare your minds for action, be self-controlled, set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed” (I Peter 1:13).

Therefore, let’s commit ourselves to think God’s thoughts, to renew our minds in Christ Jesus, to bring every fearful thought into captivity, to flood our minds with God’s wonderful word will adequately equip us to harness fear-sustained thought patterns. What an incredible blessing and privilege to take on the characteristics of Christ in our minds, thoughts and imagination. And after a lifetime of growth and maturity, we can have the mind of Christ. Live fear-free Life!