FEARS | JANUARY 14, 2005
In the past month (Dec 2004) I have had the displeasure of having two MRIs. For those of you who are not familiar with the procedure, your body is put in a long tube that allows a large magnet to take pictures of problem areas of the body, thus the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Folks are cautioned because there are physical dangers to an MRI. The magnet is so powerful any metal object in, on, or close-by a person can become a hazardous projectile. However, it was not the physical hazards that caused me concern. Rather, being claustrophobic, I had to deal with emotional challenges.
A couple things to note, those who do not have the same challenges are often unsympathetic and many just think you are being a "baby" about "nothing." Second, no amount of reason can overcome such an irrational fear. If you were to ask me why it is that I have this fear, I couldn't support it with five cogent bullet points. I do not think I am going to get sucked up into the fifth dimension and neither do I think my limbs will fall off. However, the scratch marks on the machine that were a few inches from my face as I laid down confirmed that I was not alone in my fear. The nurse laughed when I asked her if the scratch marks were from others who had freaked out. Obviously, she was not going to provide me with sympathy.
When I got a call from Janet that I could get in a week early for my second MRI she asked if could be ready in one hour. Immediately a rush of anxiety came upon me. I cannot attribute this feeling to a particular event or past experience so that I can "fix it." Such fear brings embarrassment, but upon further reflection I realized some spiritual truths from my experience.
There are many of us that experience a similar level of anxiety over a number of things. Some have a fear of spiders, snakes or other creatures. Others fear getting sick. Some are extremely anxious over conflicts. Some fear the opposite sex. Others fear intimacy. We have names for every fear under the sun. In fact, Heliophobia is the fear of sun. There is even a fear of knees called, genuphobia. Are fundamentalists really genuphobic when they prohibit wearing shorts? See if you can figure out what these fears represent? You can find the answers at the end of the letter.
A. Androphobia,
B. Agraphobia
C. Cibophobia
D. Gamophobia
E. Glossophobia,
F. Heterophobia
G. Homilophobia-you and I need to talk if you have this one.
Some of these fears can greatly hamper our ability to function and they can cause great stress in our relationships. Some can be attributed to past experiences. Some may benefit from counseling. Some may benefit from medication. How can a Christian approach such fears and allow Christ to be our life and source in the midst? I am not implying that a healthy Christian cannot have fears. However, is it healthy when our relationship with God and others are continually hampered because of such fears? Does the presence and resource of Christ make any difference in the midst of our fears? If anything, I again am reminded of my desperate need of Christ. I will shy away from providing pat answers, but I am compelled to proclaim that living in dependent faith upon the presence, power, and promises of Christ has relevance in the midst of fear. Remember the verse, "God has not given us the spirit of fear, but power, love, and a sound mind?" In Christ, I do not have to give in to fears. In Christ, fears do not have to rule me. In Christ, I will experience fear, but I will be able to function in a healthy way. Spiritual health means loving openly and freely with God and others because of the work and person of Christ.
You might be wondering how I functioned in my second MRI? Well, I called an elder and said, "I need you guys to pray." The entire time I simply invited Christ to be my strength. I also took advantage of assistance in the physical world by taking medication and having a washcloth put over my eyes before my body was inserted in the machine, so the last thing I saw was open space. In dealing with many of our fears there are physical or behavioral actions we can take that help in the process. Often these behaviors are objects of obedience, such as telling the truth or confronting a situation, or saying, "I forgive you." But, even these things are done in the energy, motivation, power, and hope of Christ. Our hope is in Him. We can learn how to deal better with our fears in Christ. In Christ, we are not scared to face our fears, talk about them, and benefit from the help He provides. Unless you have Eleutherophobia (fear of freedom) or Sophophobia (fear of learning) you can appreciate what Christ offers for us in the midst of fears.
-- Kevin Short, Senior Pastor
Answers to Phobias:
A.Men, B. Animals, C. Food, D. Marriage, E. Speaking in public, F. The opposite sex, G. Sermons
