Moving Through FearSmakprov

Fight, Flight, or Freeze

In the writings of one of my favorite historic spiritual directors, Reginald Somerset Ward, comes this simple, potent insight about our fears: “In considering fear, there is only one medicine which can produce an absolute cure; and that is a complete and overwhelming faith and simple trust in the love and power of God, in His will and ability to make of every happening in life a means of ultimate welfare and happiness.” When fear threatens me, God invites me to entrust myself to his loving, powerful presence. There is nothing that will cause me lasting harm when I am within his caring protection. This is something I can trust and take to heart. 

Where there is trust in the loving and powerful Presence, the roots of fear wither. Growing awareness of and reliance on the reliable care of God leave no room for fear that hinders, let alone paralyzes. God is working everything that has happened together for my good and for the furtherance of his purposes. He really is. This is something I can count on. 

It’s said that there is a well-known trio of reactions that fear provokes in people: fight, flight, or freeze. Freeze and flight have been my more common reactions. Perhaps yours is to fight. What might be God’s formational invitation in each of these reactions? God might invite the “fighters” to surrender and entrust themselves to God. Maybe he really does fight for us and doesn’t leave us to fight alone. God might invite the “flighters” to return to him. Rather than hiding, God invites them to abide. And God might invite the “freezers” to lean into the fear with him. Rather than being immobilized by fears, God invites them to go with him into the fearful place. 

Lord, you know my fears. I sometimes let them grow so large in the horizon of my perspective that they crowd out my vision of your presence. Forgive me. Grant a sense of proportion so that I see you big and my fears small. I don’t know how to do that for myself, but you know how to transform my outlook. Thank you.