Mastering Our Emotions: Biblical Principles for Emotional HealthSample

The Purpose of Emotions: Fear

What is the difference between having a spirit of fear and experiencing natural physical symptoms of fear that science can help us understand?

One of the most misunderstood emotions in Christians is the emotion known as fear. The Greek word for “fear” is phobos (where we get the word phobia) and refers to that which causes flight, terror, or dread. Fear is what is known as “fight, flight, or freeze” and is your body’s response to situations that pose a real present danger or threat. We often react to situations with a fear response without even thinking. The fear response includes increased heart rate, dilated pupils, and increased blood flow to your core so that you may take effective action to fight danger, flee a dangerous situation, or freeze if movement would possibly lead to death. Though uncomfortable, you can see why fear is important for navigating danger.

Based on the body’s natural alarm reaction to real danger, panic attacks are understood as the clinical manifestation of fear, also known as a “false alarm.” The reason a panic attack is considered a false alarm is because there is no actual danger in the situation, but the person having the attack experiences the fight, flight, or freeze response because they interpret the situation as dangerous. One example is feeling trapped in a crowded place and therefore having a panic attack when the person is not trapped, and even if they were temporarily trapped, it would not cause harm. Though one could construe many intense, negative emotions that occur in the context of perceived danger, such as anger or shame, science confirms that panic attacks represent the epitome of a “false alarm” due to perceived mortal danger.

Though the Bible often uses the terms “fear” and “anxiety” interchangeably, it is helpful to distinguish these two emotional experiences for several reasons. God’s Word tells us to “fear not.” One interpretation of “fear not” is to work toward not responding to situations by having a panic attack when the situations are not, in fact, dangerous, but rather to trust that the Lord is with us in these situations. On the other hand, when experiencing real danger, the Lord remains with us, though the emotional response of fear is appropriate for escaping or facing danger in these situations.

• How does fear feel in your body? Where do you feel it?
• How has your faith helped you in times of fear?
• When have you seen fear as a helpful emotion?