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from Duluth, MN, who has been practicing and unresolved anxiety result in clinical
urgent care medicine for several years and depression, weight gain, frequent
working with college students. migraines and headaches, and difficulty
with digestion…”
WHAT FEAR DOES TO OUR BODIES
Most of us have a general idea of how our I’ll spare you the gruesome details there.
bodies respond in a moment of fear. Our
hearts beat faster, our hands get clammy, PUTTING FEAR INTO PERSPECTIVE
and maybe we’ll start to sweat. Dr. The threat of COVID-19 is real, and it is
Hansmeier shared a few more physical natural that our bodies respond to this
symptoms which can occur in response to threat with a little bit of fear. The root of
stress and anxiety, such as mind-racing, our latest anxieties may be this worldwide
tachycardia (elevated heart rate), virus reminding us of our own mortality or
shortness of breath, chest pains, memory that of our loved ones. But it should also
changes, abdominal pain, nausea, aches in remind us of what was true all along: we
neck and shoulders, and much more. I also are not in control of our lives. In times like
learned that the effect can be even more these, for the Christian, we prove whether
serious than we may think. our proclaimed trust in the sovereignty of
God is something we actually believe in.
“When our minds perceive something
stressful, there are signals sent to the OUR RESPONSE TO FEAR
sympathetic nervous system which then When a crisis enters our lives, it reveals
triggers a cascade of hormones that what we fear most. For many people, it's
ultimately produce the physical symptoms death or economic hardships. However,
associated with a hyperarousal state. our greatest fear should be a lack of right
When these symptoms go unchecked, it standing with God. Don't waste this fearful
can produce detrimental effects on our time; let it cause you to really think about
ability to fight infections, mood disorders death. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to
(such as prolonged depression), memory go to a house of mourning than to go to a
changes, and often leads to extensive and house of feasting, for death is the destiny
expensive medical testing to rule out other of everyone; the living should take this to
disorders without any identifiable physical heart.” Fear can often show us how weak
cause.” – Dr. Hansmeier our faith and trust in God actually is, yet
God is gracious and merciful, even to
I was curious to know if there are those struggling with belief issues. God
additional effects on our health if fear wants us to trust Him, and sometimes He
remains for an extended period of time, uses fear as a means to draw us in.
and Dr. Hansmeier had insight on this, too.
Don’t put your body through the stress
“Imagine running a car or motor with the that fear and anxiety bring. Instead,
gas pedal to the floor for a prolonged time pursue God. Admit you don’t have control
and the wear-and-tear that would do to an and submit to His. Romans 12:12 says to
engine. That’s essentially the same “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation,
principle when it comes to physical be constant in prayer” (ESV). Patiently
detriment to the human body when in endure suffering. Trust God. Have faith in
sustained hyperarousal state. Some of the Him. That’s our part.
more common effects of prolonged fear

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