Ignoring Our Demons

Scripture instructs us to “not be anxious for anything, but by prayer and supplication let your petitions be known to God.” (Phil. 4:6, MPV)

     Anxiety is not an emotion I can fully identify with, as it’s never been a large part of my life, but I am empathetic towards those who suffer this malady. There are those who know this emotion intimately, and like an unwelcome lover, it knocks on their door again and again.

    While fear is not always irrational, most fears are inconsequential, and intangible because… they never come to pass. Our fears become consequential, and tangible only in terms of the way they impact us. One man reminded me that …” Fictionalized Events Aren’t Real,” and someone else reflected that fear is… “False Evidence Appearing Real.” But so like our dreams, we have the unique ability to add substance to that ‘spirit of Fear.” That which we nourish grows. That which we diminish weakens, and dies.

     And there can be little doubt that “The greatest burden we carry are the fears that never comes to pass.”

     I’ve done some recent work with Anxiety. One particular woman, we’ll call her Debbie, came to me with severe symptoms of panic disorder and generalized anxiety. And with so many, I discovered her symptoms included two major patterns, or phases of behavior. 

    There is the initial trigger mechanism that represents an irrational fear factor. There is usually a specific stimulus common to the particular client. The second factor, or stage is the tendency to devote copious thought to the initial stimulus, and it’s perceived effects.

    Anxiety becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The scripture reminds us that “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7, KJV) That which we dwell upon, we become (or act out or exhibit, or are influenced by). Anxiety becomes cyclic, feeding upon itself.

     I was watching an episode of “Little House on the Prairie” today. Charles, the male Patriarch, had been accidentally shot, and was close to death. Laura, his young daughter, managed to locate an old blind man, living in a skinner’s cabin nearby. This ancient fellow (played by Burl Ives) was reluctant to help, and Laura pleaded with him to get involved. She looks at him, with those beautiful brown eyes, and says, “I know you’re afraid, but we can be afraid together.”

     Nothing big, nothing worth doing, nothing extraordinary was ever done, or will ever be done without a bit of fear. You already know I’m “keen” on the military. I marvel at the countless Congressional Medal of Honor winners who sacrificed limb, and sometimes life for this great nation. I think if you could ask any of them the question, “Were you afraid,” every one of these heroes would answer, “Yes, of course I was afraid, but I refused to let fear immobilize me.”

     Fear can immobilize a person. Anxiety can keep one stuck. We have been sensitized by various triggers and stimuli, but we do ourselves a disservice when we Allow these influences to dominate us.

 

    John Nash, the schizophrenic mathematician of the book and movie, "A Beautiful Mind" once said,

“I’ve gotten used to ignoring my ‘demons,' and I think they’ve given up on me.”

 

     I think we have Choices. We can Choose what we do with our thoughts, and what we will do with the trigger mechanisms of the Past. We can give ourselves over to these destructive, unworthy things, or we can lend our minds to that which encourages, enhances and positively impacts. We have a Choice.

    The exercise of our faith is not dependent on the absence of our fear.

 

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 9