Think about it. You need a watch to tell time. Why? Your brain has no idea what time it is.
Your brain will randomly pick something to do, even though it's something that isn't that important.
According to Parkinsons Law, if you have a 1-hour task to do, but give yourself all week to do it, your brain will figure out a way to take the whole week.
However, your brain is absolutely brilliant at doing some very important things. It keeps your heart beating, your lungs working and it protects you from danger.
Recently, a friend of mine went through a very traumatic situation. They are ok but shaken up nonetheless. Later, they heard a noise that reminded them of that traumatic situation and they froze up in fear. There was no reason for them to freeze up. There was no reason to be afraid. The brain did what the brain does. It sensed danger and went into overdrive.
We like to think that we are in control of our emotions and thoughts. But like my friend, the reality is we respond to the things that happen around us. Building on our previous experiences, our brain assumes what is going to happen next and reacts. Sometimes this is a good thing. Sometimes, it leads us down a dark path.
Fear is a powerful emotion that can enslave us. Our fears can rob us of our future, our joy, and our peace. I know people who never got married because they were afraid of getting a divorce as their mom and dad did.
I know people who gave away their authority as a parent or spouse because someone with authority had hurt in the past.
2 Tim 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Notice that fear and self-control (or as some translations say, "sound mind") are in the same sentence. Paul understand that fear would make you nuts. That you couldn't have self-control or a sound mind with it. Fear serves us well when we allow the Holy Spirit to be in control of it.
PRAY: Dear Jesus, I do not want to be afraid or live in fear. AMEN
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