Counseling Exam 6
6. Definition
Anxiety and fear are sins, based on opposition to or receding from faith. Anxiety is fear, stirred up and active. Another biblical word for anxiety is fretting. One of the most common commands in scripture is "Do not fear," and then it lists why the fear is an inappropriate response. The Bible also tells us that fearing God is appropriate and commanded. This is not the kind of fear that leads to anxiety, but when it stirred up and active- it is boldness.
There is also a distinction between getting scared and acting according to fear. If a person hangs on the ledge of a cliff, this is unexpected and scary. The desire is to escape from the situation, as not doing so may lead to unnecessary physical harm. In the future, the person may calmly and wisely infer that it may not be wise to get next to a cliff, but keep their body safe behind a railing. Acting according to fear would be saying that since you are next to a cliff, you will fall. This belief goes against God's sovereignty, in that you think you know absolutely what will happen.
Inner and Outer
Fear starts from the inner man. It happens as a response to not having faith in God that He will do what He said He would. This calls God a liar. It also stems from doing what is right in a person's own eyes, with no ground to stand on for boldness and righteousness. This make's the person their own God, and God Himself is driven to prove them wrong in their eyes. They may plan their jobs, trips, and prayers according to their fears, relive past conversations to worry about how they went wrong, intensify in idols of greed and lust, and/or blame God for not "giving them what they need." Nothing can make a person fearful. This is a common misconception in our daily speech. "It made me afraid," is an excuse. There can be circumstances that are unpleasant or discouraging towards a certain end, but a person chooses to not put their faith in God's sovereign will.
The outer man has a number of ways it responds, as fear is a basic part of our motivations designed by God. Their perceived need to hold together what they have in their life makes them fret. They may lose sleep, pull back from society, hoard their possessions, exaggerate, and/or lie to themselves or others.
Responding
The counselor should give a clear definition of fear as sin, as many even in the Church, define it as something that is just a biological factor. The Christian counselee should write down their fears. This helps to identify them, and they can be given specific verses on these issues. They need to repent, admitting that God is indeed faithful to do what He's promised and that they were wrong to go in their own way. Just as with the depressed person, the Christian will need to resume daily duties. This gives them hope to see that change can happen, and God meets them with strength and compassion every step of the way.
Anxiety and fear are sins, based on opposition to or receding from faith. Anxiety is fear, stirred up and active. Another biblical word for anxiety is fretting. One of the most common commands in scripture is "Do not fear," and then it lists why the fear is an inappropriate response. The Bible also tells us that fearing God is appropriate and commanded. This is not the kind of fear that leads to anxiety, but when it stirred up and active- it is boldness.
There is also a distinction between getting scared and acting according to fear. If a person hangs on the ledge of a cliff, this is unexpected and scary. The desire is to escape from the situation, as not doing so may lead to unnecessary physical harm. In the future, the person may calmly and wisely infer that it may not be wise to get next to a cliff, but keep their body safe behind a railing. Acting according to fear would be saying that since you are next to a cliff, you will fall. This belief goes against God's sovereignty, in that you think you know absolutely what will happen.
Inner and Outer
Fear starts from the inner man. It happens as a response to not having faith in God that He will do what He said He would. This calls God a liar. It also stems from doing what is right in a person's own eyes, with no ground to stand on for boldness and righteousness. This make's the person their own God, and God Himself is driven to prove them wrong in their eyes. They may plan their jobs, trips, and prayers according to their fears, relive past conversations to worry about how they went wrong, intensify in idols of greed and lust, and/or blame God for not "giving them what they need." Nothing can make a person fearful. This is a common misconception in our daily speech. "It made me afraid," is an excuse. There can be circumstances that are unpleasant or discouraging towards a certain end, but a person chooses to not put their faith in God's sovereign will.
The outer man has a number of ways it responds, as fear is a basic part of our motivations designed by God. Their perceived need to hold together what they have in their life makes them fret. They may lose sleep, pull back from society, hoard their possessions, exaggerate, and/or lie to themselves or others.
Responding
The counselor should give a clear definition of fear as sin, as many even in the Church, define it as something that is just a biological factor. The Christian counselee should write down their fears. This helps to identify them, and they can be given specific verses on these issues. They need to repent, admitting that God is indeed faithful to do what He's promised and that they were wrong to go in their own way. Just as with the depressed person, the Christian will need to resume daily duties. This gives them hope to see that change can happen, and God meets them with strength and compassion every step of the way.
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