Fears: The Latest Coram Deo Module

When the foundation of an education is God’s Word, this education is blessed and beneficial. Five students from our church just finished the sixth module of Coram Deo, and they’re now halfway through the course with only six more modules left. The topic of this last module was called “Giants On Our Earth” or in one word, “Fears.” A whole module was dedicated to this topic because the problem of fear is addressed all throughout the Bible. I’ll share what has been helpful for me.

Fears are different and thus they affect us differently.

I think it’ll be appropriate to begin with a definition. Fear is an expression of horror or awe. That’s why there is a notion of a Servile fear or a Filial fear.

• A servile fear is afraid of losing a gift, while a filial fear is afraid of losing a relationship.
• A servile fear is afraid of angering someone, while a filial fear is afraid of making someone sad.
• A servile fear will not go far, only up to the point of a threat, while a filial fear will go all the way. A filial fear is not afraid that it wasn’t thanked, rather it truly wishes for the Father to be pleased. Whomever I honor, that is whom I respect, and to whom my conscience and heart will move.

Attempts to hide are always associated with the realization that something wrong was done.

People have a tendency to take their shameful behavior and dress it up. I would like to underline an interesting point; we don’t only try to hide something, but we try to cover it up and dress up what has been revealed (we inherited this from our ancestors). We exert our maximum effort to try to embellish, justify, and blame-shift, all of which will lead to statements such as—it’s not me, you just don’t understand, it’s not my fault, it’s their fault, it’s the circumstances, I just had to act like this. It is impossible for a sinful person who has inherited the nature of his ancestors to think about masks and not use them. A person puts on a mask not to show or reveal the problem, but instead to deeply hide it. As soon as the problem is discovered and exposed it becomes shameful and scary (runs to hide behind a bush). Shame itself is not the problem; the problem lies in that of which I am ashamed.

Questions of Needs

Oh, this is a system that includes all human functions. Let’s take 3 questions as an example:
1) What are your needs? In understanding the needs, my desires and even lusts come into play.
2) What or who rules you? I am ruled by what I value, and will obviously fear losing it.
3) What do you rely on? When I am thought well of by others. Seems like I just want to help but really I just want to be well-known. Falsehoods create copies and pass them off as originals. If I do not receive what I desire, then this is the situation that will cause a conflict.

The million dollar question: What unites fear and shame? (Try to answer it yourself). These three questions basically talk about the same thing—my perceived needs will rule over me and become the objects of my trust and fear.

Fear is associated with punishment, which is why it has an element of worry and anguish. Fear can be compared with a giant, let’s say Goliath. Similar to how Goliath grew, so too does fear have a tendency to grow. At some point Goliath was small and defenseless but after many years he grew to be big. Fear cannot be understood unless it is understood how it grew.

If I fear heights, the dark, sickness or getting lost in a forest, then what I really fear is death. The one who fears is imperfect because he has not been taught, which cannot happen quickly. But you can still learn, if only you have the courage.

And for this you will need the resources of grace.

Planning. It will help you to take thoughtful steps, so it is important to involve and encourage yourself in making a plan.

Right questions. This is how you can set goals that will strengthen the heart, instead of falling prey to fears and worries. That which is bigger in life will rule your life.

Understanding. It is imperative to understand for whom or why I do this, and how God participates in what I already do?

God is big and I am small. Not the other way around. This is the key element to solving the problem of fear.

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Ephesians 6:10-17