Fear is defined as “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain…” Ultimately, fear is a defense against pain.
On this trip, there have been a lot of things to potentially be scared of. Feeling like my friends at home will forget me, not being funded, worrying about my family, traveling to new places, etc.
Rafting the Nile was the most physically terrifying thing that I have done. I was scared, crying before our guide tipped the raft in practice. When I fell out of the raft on the first rapid (of course I did…) I didn’t think anything. No dramatic life flashing before my eyes or thoughts on how to get back in the raft. My mind was completely blank (for those who know me, this is astonishing as my thoughts tend to go a million miles per minute).
After that encounter I thought about fear and the different categories, which I think can be broken down into two: physical and emotional.
-Physical fear is our raw, fight or flight response. Our subconscious response to our mortality, this is the instinctual response to not get hurt.
-The other is emotional fear. This is far more common and is something that we tend to experience in different forms on a daily basis. It’s the most dangerous because unlike physical fear that is rooted in self-preservation, emotional fear is not beneficial for surviving or thriving. It is anxiety over what is to come.
Fear is an anticipatory.
One of my biggest fears is Labrador sized dogs. I’ve been dealing with this fear since I was about 5 years old. When I think about this fear, I realize that I am not scared of the dog itself, but rather what the dog will do. As I see it walking towards me I am scared it will attack. I was scared what could happen if I fell out of the raft. What if he breaks up with me. As the dog gets closer, the fears change. Will it jump on me, will it bite me. Fear is a moving target, more than happy to meet the changing needs.
Those examples go to show that the fear resides in the “what if”. Our fear is not based in the physical but rather in the anticipation of what could happen and the avoidance of pain.
It then stands to reason that the only thing to truly fear is fear itself. However…
-God did not give us a spirit of fear but of love power and a sound mind – 2 Timothy 1:7
-When I am afraid, I will trust in you. – Psalms 56:3
-I will fear no evil for you are with me. – Psalms 23:4b
We have nothing to fear- take courage and live life.
Katie
