Let’s talk about fear, worry and anxiety
This article is part of an ongoing discussion series on Mental Health and the Church. While each article can stand on alone, if you’d like to start at the beginning click here.
Over the next two articles I want to talk about fear, worry, and anxiety. The articles will give you some basic understanding of the difference between these three things, and some practical tips on developing self-awareness, the first step in dealing with them.
As Christians it can be hard to admit that we worry about things, even though we all do it at times. Often the reason we find it hard to admit that we worry is because we feel that worry is bad, maybe even sinful. It can be even harder to admit if we have a long-term anxiety issue or live in fear. So we can be tempted to hide our worry, anxiety or fear, feeling ashamed of it and of ourself for worrying, or because we’re sacred of what people will think of us if we admit to being worried.
If we’re honest, all of us face circumstances that can cause worry, and for some of us anxiety and fear are a very real battle we face and fight daily. For me, ongoing childhood abuse meant I lived in a constant state of anxiety and fear that carried on into adulthood, making these areas a recurring place of struggle in my life.
Natural and spiritual origins
Fear, worry and anxiety can be natural responses, but they can also sometimes have a spiritual component to them. Demons can, and do, seek to make people fearful, and in doing so their aim is to establish a stronghold of fear and anxiety in a person’s life, from which they can have free reign to isolate and terrorise them.
God is clear in Scripture that, as Christians, we do not need to be subject to any spirit of fear because He has given us a spirit of power (to overcome that spirit), love (to encourage us concerning His presence with us) and a sound mind (to be able to think clearly, rationally and strategically) 2 Tim 1:7.
I’d like to address something here that needs addressing. Not every problem in a person’s life is the result of a demonic attack. Many times over the years I’ve heard Christians (particularly in Charismatic and Pentecostal churches) refer to mental health issues as being demonic. It’s vital that Christians stop demonising natural feelings such as fear and worry, and learn to discern between them, ongoing trauma reactions, other mental health issues, and a real demonic stronghold. And equally as important is to discern what God is wanting to do, and release His provision and answer into the situation, whether that provision is a miracle, a counsellor, medical aid, or inner healing work.
If we think everything is the result of a demon’s work we are mistaken, and in automatically labelling it this we may miss out on an area of understanding that God wants to give us, or a work that He is wanting to do in us that will mature us and equip us more for life and for helping others. (If you want to find out more on how to discern whether something is demonic or not, I’ve included a link in the end notes of this article to my new book on this subject ‘Sharpen your Spiritual Senses”.)
So, what are fear, worry, and anxiety? How do they differ from each other and how do they affect us? Although they have some commonalities they are actually different from each other.
Fear
Fear is a normal human response and emotion, one that is a natural part of how we are created, and one that we all experience when we face either a real, or perceived, threat to our physical or emotional well-being. Our fear response is what warns us of possible danger.
When we face acute stress or danger our body responds to it instantly and naturally, in order to give us extra strength, speed, and to help in facing the danger, and to keep us safe. The body’s sympathetic nervous system gets activated and releases hormones into the body, and that causes a chain reaction of physical responses, and our fight, flight, freeze, response is activated. As a result our muscles tense, ready for action, which can cause trembling or shaking, our heart rate rises, along with our blood pressure and breathing rate, and our pupils dilate.
The following is a simple explanation, but will give you a basic understanding of the F3 process. Fight, flight or freeze responses happen automatically, without conscious thought. In fight and flight response mode, our instinctive reaction is exactly what those two words mean – fight or flee, get out of the situation fast. Hormones and chemicals are released that give us extra energy, strength or speed, depending on what the danger is.
Freezing is another normal response that can happen to anyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re trained in self-defense, or bigger or stronger than your attacker. Anyone can freeze. It’s where your brain decides that becoming very still (freezing rather than fighting or running away) is the best way to survive what’s happening. The body goes rigid or limp, and you feel unable to move. When someone freezes, their body is trying to protect them. The freeze response is an involuntary version of something we also do consciously and on purpose. Animals and people also sometimes freeze consciously, they ‘play dead’ in order to protect themselves in certain situations; we do it consciously to avoid being seen, etc..
After the threat is gone, the nervous system begins to calm itself, and it normally takes between 20 to 60 minutes for the body to return to its natural state and levels.
Where we can face problems, though, is when our body starts triggering the fear response (fight, flight, freeze) during non-threatening situations, such as giving a speech, stressing over having to meet a looming deadline, or even thinking about things like spiders, heights or germs. And what about that upcoming family visit? You know, the one where you have to be nice to everyone, even the difficult people and the ones you try to avoid. Stress starts to work and worry kicks in, anxiety mounts, and fear builds. While these situations are not actually usually dangerous ones, our mind can see them as such, and our body can react as if they are. We need to learn how to recognise that we are having a fear response, and know how to bring ourselves back into a state where we can manage in the situation without freaking out. I’ll give some practical tips on how to do this in the next article.
The Bible talks about worry and fear many times and, as far as I can see, all the verses about those things tell us not to be afraid or to worry because God is with us, wanting to help us. While Jesus instructs us not to worry, neither Jesus nor the rest of Scripture ever label worry or fear a sin. Stop and think about that for a moment. Let that sink in and lift any yoke of condemnation from your shoulders.
Why would Jesus and other places in Scripture tell us not to be afraid or worry, especially if fear is a natural automatic response to danger? The type of fear the Bible is referring to is not the mind’s automatic response to physical danger, it’s mostly referring to the fear of facing something unknown, entering new territory, or facing new challenges. It’s the fear of the unknown, or of imagined possibilities and dangers. It’s a warning not to let anxiety, worry, or fear, gain access and make us forget that God is with us. An ongoing state of fear or worry is us thinking that we have to get through this, or solve this, all on our own. When we worry it’s because we forget that God is there to help us. Jesus and the rest of Scripture tell us that all of the Trinity – Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit – will help us, be there for us, give us wisdom and strategic insights and solutions. They will give us peace and provide a way through our situation, as we turn to them and trust them.
If you have a tendency of worrying, or of fear, about issues, can I suggest that you read the scriptures about worry and fear listed at the end of this article, and ask the Lord to give you a revelation of His love and care, and to fill you with His peace. Also, ask Him for ideas and strategy; don’t just ask Him for miracles. While He can, and does, do miracles, most of the time He works with us relationally – Him and us working together, growing closer to each other through a shared experience.
Worry
Worry takes normal problem solving and formulates a temporary ongoing thought process that usually has a negative outcome. Worry is short-term. Worry that has become established and long term is called anxiety. With worry, after our problem has been solved the worry goes away. It’s normal for your brain to try to solve your situation by anticipating obstacles or problems and formulating plans or actions to get around those problems.
Worry takes normal problem solving and supercharges it with negative imaginations. It takes current situations and imagines, over and over again, different hypothetical scenarios and applies them to that situation. If we have a tendency toward negativity or have suffered repeated trauma, we will usually imagine far more unpleasant outcomes to the issue than pleasant ones.
Worry makes you feel anxious and apprehensive. Worry can become a habitual emotional response if we don’t learn how to bring our thoughts into submission. An important factor in dealing with worry is to develop and use your own, and possibly other people’s, problem-solving skills to address what you're worried about, and reduce the risk of your fears being realized. Learning how to think issues through and problem-solve is a skill we can learn and grow in. When we get into a worry pattern over an issue it can indicate that we may have either forgotten that we can turn to God and ask for His help, or that we have done so, then taken sole responsibility back onto our own shoulders again.
Anxiety
Anxiety is different from fear and worry. Worry is temporary, while anxiety is an ongoing state of worry, or feeling that something is not right, or that you are not safe. It can be an overall feeling, or it can become related to one particular area of life and become a phobia. Anxiety can be short-term or long-term, generalised or specific. Generalised anxiety is an overarching constant feeling of unease that permeates a person’s life. Sometimes people with generalised anxiety can look as if they have no issues, but inside their mind they are scrambling to stay on an even-keel, and often fight the feeling of being overwhelmed and internally stressed. Specific anxiety struggles can show up as things like phobias, extreme introversion and isolating behaviour, panic attacks, or compulsive behaviours. Anxiety can also pair with other things like anger, or the need to feel in control.
Anxiety is often marked by negative or catastrophic thinking that has become a habitual thinking approach. People with anxiety overestimate the risk of something bad happening to them and underestimate their ability to cope. For example, if the real risk of something bad happening is say 10%, an anxious thinker will perceive that the risk is way higher, say 70%, and will need to take precautions to prevent that risk becoming a reality.
If anxiety is not dealt with it can cause long term problems and become a nervous disorder and mental health issue that affects physical health as well. Undealt with anxiety can also lead to serious health issues, such as heart disease, thyroid problems, respiratory disorders, diabetes, drug misuse, alcoholism, irritable bowel syndrome, and some cancers.
Most people with ongoing anxiety usually need professional medical help to deal with it properly. A prayer at an altar call, or a couple of ministry sessions, are usually not enough to deal with the issues at the base of ongoing anxiety struggles.
Can God do miracles, and can He heal people with anxiety disorders? Yes, He can, and He does. He does so in different ways – sometimes that healing comes by God using trained medical and mental health professionals, especially when it is trauma-based, when it has become established as a coping mechanism, or it is affecting the nervous system and physical health. Other times He may do a miracle, use inner healing modalities, or bring deliverance if it is demonic in its origin. Even when God does heal, His purpose is also to teach us how to process problems well and establish good mental health, and therefore physical health, in our life, because He is committed to our growth and wholeness.
In the next article I want us to look at an important part of being able to move through fear and worry back to a state of peace and stability, the importance of becoming aware of our responses and feelings in situations. And I’ll give you some practical tips and insights, things that I’ve learnt that have been a huge help to me over the years.
Verses to explore with the Lord concerning worry and fear
Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:9; Psalm 23:4; Psalm 27:1; Psalm 34:4; Psalm 55:22; Psalm 56:3; Psalm 94:19; Psalm 121:1-2; Proverbs 3:5-6; Proverbs 12:25; Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 54:4; Jeremiah 29:11; Matthew 6:25-27, 34; Matthew 11:28-30; Luke 12:25; John 14:27; Romans 8:15,31,38-39; Philippians 4:6-7; Colossians 3:15; 2 Timothy 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Hebrews 13:6; 1 Peter 5:6-8; 1 John 4:18.
For the next article in this series click here.