As one who has struggled with fear (and all its variations), I recognize the importance of being more aware about what is happening at the heart/mind level.
Understanding helps the processing.
Really....
So, let's talk about the emotion of fear today...
Take a look at the "feel-wheel" below.
The value of a feel-wheel is that it can put words to emotions.
Sometimes, because we just don't speak emotion-talk, we can't truly identify what's going on inside.
It took me years before I realized the value of identification.
Fear is an intense emotion.
There's a scale to it, just like pain.
The wheel shows three levels, but as I ponder my own life experience, I think there are five "shades."
Five shades of fear....although there may be overlapping...
Level 1: Peace of Heart. No thought of concern, stress, or anxiety.
Level 2: Wary/Cautious. No real awareness of danger, but uncomfortable, and sensing something maybe be "off." Worried (and questioning) what might be going on - The "what ifs" may make a show here...
Level 3: Anxious. A step above "worried." Feeling physical discomfort. Chest is tight. Breathing feels more difficult. The "what ifs" are beginning to consume the mind.
Level 4: Fear. There is certainly danger ahead. "Flight, fight, or freeze" become real reactions. All the physical discomforts come into play: eating is difficult, mind feels like a pin-ball machine, there's a sense of hopelessness and helplessness, and it's difficult to process what is real and what is not.
Level 5: Terrified. The danger is here - the house is on fire, a robber has just invaded my home, terrorists just put two planes into high rises in New York City and I'm watching it unfold in front of me... The "what ifs" are actuality.
As human beings, we tend to think of worry, anxiety, and fear as "bad"...these are negative emotions. I should be living in the world of happy and peaceful...all the time.
That's not life.
Nor is that the way the Lord created us.
In Genesis, we read that on the sixth day, God created man in His image.
He looked at what He created and it was good.
At creation, the Lord crafted us with emotions as part of our package.
Why?
We have an emotional God.
We read of His joy.
Sorrow.
Grief.
Anger.
Love.
We are a representation of Him.
Emotions and all.
And, let's not forget, He looked and called His creation "good."
Including all the emotions...
So, remember this:
We can't put all our "feels" in categories of good/bad/neutral...they are all good...and they all serve a purpose.
What would that purpose be?
Emotions are educators...
They reveal what is going on inside our hearts.
All emotions teach us to understand what is happening inside a heart that is often difficult to read.
Yes, they are educators...but sometimes we live as if they are dictators.
Yes, they are educators...but sometimes we live as if they are dictators.
...Emotions do not have to be our dictators!
Hence, the reason for this blog series...
How can we depose of the dictator, and welcome the educator?
What steps can we take to the place of peace of heart?
Yesterday, we took a first step.
We remembered:
I am not alone in this process.
The Lord my God is with me wherever I go...
Today is the second step...
Identify your fears.
Name them one by one...
Put language to them.
Speak them out loud...bring your fears into the light.
Fear loses a lot of power when you bring them into the light...
They love to hide in darkness....
Want to take care of the tyrant in the current situation?
Then speak directly to the situation.
I may be (in this place) ________________________...
But, you are not about to take over.
With the Lord's help, I will take back what is rightfully mine.
Just doing this is enough to begin to defuse those fears.
Tomorrow a story of fear's beginnings......you may not have read this story in this way before...
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