Fear is the direct result of mistrust. Maybe we don’t trust a person. Maybe we don’t trust ourselves. Maybe we don’t trust that all things really do work together for good. Whatever the reason, the fear comes because we aren’t trusting that it will be ok.
There’s been a push in recent years to set people free from their fears. I believe that this movement is from the Lord; He is love and, therefore, the very antithesis of fear (1 John 4:8, 4:18). (I’m not talking about the fear of the Lord, which is altogether different.)
Yet when people are told not to be afraid, even in the church, they’re often told to rationalize their fears rather than deal with them. While facing what you’re afraid of is a good first step, logic alone cannot remove a spirit of fear from a person.
Logic is unemotional and based on knowledge and brain function. It says, “I know there’s nothing out there, so I don’t have to be afraid of the darkness in my room.” But because there are no emotions or senses beyond our intellect, logic can only go so far in controlling – or, in this case, eliminating – emotions-based responses. So you can still be terrified of the dark, even though your mind is telling you that everything is fine.
Add to this that most fear is based on past experiences. Maybe you tripped over something unexpected in the dark, maybe a childhood friend grabbed you in the dark, or maybe you just don’t like the feeling of not being able to see 20ft. away. Past experiences don’t play the rules of intellect: They get into your emotions and trigger responses that have nothing to do with what you’ve trained your brain to tell you to logic your way out of the situation.
The only way to truly remove fear in your life is to replace it with trust. The kind of trust that knows without a shadow of a doubt that maybe things don’t go right all of the time, but there is Someone trustworthy Who will take care of the details anyway (Psalm 112:7).
So how can we get that kind of trust? It begins with logic and intention – choosing in every situation to trust God rather than worry or be fearful (Proverbs 3:5). But it goes beyond our intellect, too. If we can surrender the emotions and prayerfully work through the events and past situations that cause the fear, then we can find healing in Christ. With healing comes the ability to trust in those areas – and with that trust comes the supernatural ability to overcome fear.
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. (Psalm 9:10)
