FEAR FACTOR

Peter Chao

A criminal was once sent to the king for his sentence. The king gave the prisoner a choice of punishment. He could be hung by a rope. Or take what was behind the big, dark, scary, mysterious iron door.

The criminal quickly decided on the rope. As the noose was being slipped on him, he turned to the king and asked: “Just out of curiosity, what’s behind that door?”

The king laughed and said, “You know, it’s funny, I offer everyone the same choice, and nearly everyone picks the rope.”

“So,” said the criminal, “Tell me. What’s behind the door?”

The king paused, then answered, “Freedom, but it seems most people are so afraid of the unknown that they immediately take the rope.”

The less we know, the more we fear. Our most fearful imaginations are raised by the depth of our ignorance.

Fear is that unpleasant emotion in response to the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Yet, fear has enabled humans and animals to survive. Humans who feared the right things persisted to propagate their genes. Charles Darwin surmised that was the result of the instinctive tightening of muscles triggered by an evolved response to fear. It is an instinct to protect us from what may endanger us.

We respond to fear biochemically and emotionally. The biochemical response is universal, while the emotional response is highly individual. Prolonged fear can cause gastrointestinal problems, including ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome as well as increase the risk of cardiovascular damage.

Fear can interrupt processes in the brain that allow us to regulate emotions. When fear seizes us, we feel like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. We are paralyzed into inaction as fear shuts down the brain. Typically, we devolve into a “fight-or-flight” reaction.

Fear is an unpleasant emotion that robs our peace, sense of well-being and happiness. It has the power to sway, distort and rupture the normal workings of the human mind. So, we obviously seek to evade this negative emotion.

However, in most situations, fear will not dissipate until we resolve the root cause. Like an infected tooth, it will continually hurt till it is removed. Management pundits like to stress that “Denial” is not a river in Egypt! The longer we procrastinate in confronting our fears, they can become a major source of stress, unhappiness, and psychosomatic illness. As Shakespeare’s Hamlet advises, we need to “take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them.”

Every leader facing challenges and uncertainties inevitably experiences the gnawing lurk of fear. It can melt resolve and dissipate robust response that is necessary to overcome an assault. God knows that the enemy uses fear to decrease our hope and limit our victories.

Small wonder the Wisdom writer observes: “The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.” ¹ The overwhelming evidence from biblical testimony assures that when “I sought the Lord … he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” ²

When we are stalked by fear, our immediate instinct should be to come into God’s Presence. In God’s embrace, “There is no fear in love … perfect love drives out fear.” ³ The deeper God’s love envelopes us, the stronger we stand against fear since love and fear cannot co-exist.

Some psychologists have proposed the Law of Reversibility which suggests that we act in a manner that is consistent with how we feel. The reality of God’s Presence and love will determine how we respond to threats that strike fear in us.

King David, in the Shepherd’s psalm, attests that “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me …” ⁴ Death is our ultimate fear. David reminds us that death is but a shadow, not the substance.

Spurgeon is insightful when he comments: “Its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains. Nobody is afraid of a shadow, for a shadow cannot stop a man’s pathway even for a moment. The shadow of a dog cannot bite; the shadow of a sword cannot kill; the shadow of death cannot destroy us. Let us not, therefore, be afraid.”

If what we ultimately fear is death, Christ’s Resurrection has abrogated death’s substance to a mere shadow. We tread, not an unknown path to an indeterminate future, but in Christ’s steps into the glorious Presence of God. That is the narrative that must be firmly fixed in our subconscious.

All other fears pale in comparison to the fear of death. Our anxieties about our flourishing are calmed by our Lord’s promise, “Surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” ⁵ And, “in his presence is fullness of joy!” ⁶

God’s Presence is the enduring answer to our deepest fears. He assures us, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ⁷

We can confidently assert with Franklin D Roosevelt, who, in his inaugural address as the 32^nd President of the United States, declared, “… the only thing we have to fear is … fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes …”

—

1 Proverbs 29:25 The Message
2 Psalm 34:4 NIV
3 I John 4:18 NIV
4 Psalm 23:4 NIV
5 Matthew 28:20 NIV
6 Psalm 16:11 RSV
7 Isaiah 41:10 NIV

MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS

The Ministry Continues
In this time when we cannot meet face-to-face, our ministry has reached places and homes beyond Singapore.

Our President Michael Tan has completed 7 sessions of Eagles Rendezvous Bible study on 1 & 2 Kings. Catch up at www.eagles.org.sg/er.

Our Founder Peter Chao has produced 4 Peter’s Ponderings videos, ministering to the Emerging Leader Development Program (ELDP) alumni and current cohorts. More videos can be found at Eagles Communications YouTube channel.

Our Chair of the Board John Ng has conducted 9 webinars about De-Escalating Conflict During Covid-19 which have equipped 450 people.

We thank God for His sustaining grace that enables us to continue the ministry.

UP NEXT

REFLECTIONS ON PHILIPPIANS
By Peter Chao, Founder, Eagles Communications.

Register at www.eagles.org.sg/er

UPDATE

EPPI CONFERENCE 2020 UPDATE
In view of the current Covid-19 pandemic with it’s uncertainty and travel restrictions, we have decided with the advice of our speakers and our leadership to postpone this conference to 2021.

Dates and details to be confirmed.
We will keep you posted.