Fear & Anxiety as a Protective Response, Not a Personal Failure
Most of us have heard how the feeling of fear and the emotion of anxiety has been villainized in faith spaces. Hearing things like “If you are afraid you lack faith,” “Just stop worrying,” and “Fear is entirely a choice” can be dismissive, induce shame, ignore biological factors, and ultimately do more damage than good. This can lead to experiencing anxiety as something to “get rid of” leading to suppression and denial.
Faith-integrated trauma-informed care reframes fear as a gift from GOD (as all feelings are gifts) that opens the door for us to experience the reward on the other side of risk, the intimacy on the other side of trust, the connection on the other side of dependency, the impact on the other side of collaboration, and ultimately, the wisdom on the other side of realizing our need for help. Additionally, faith-integrated trauma-informed care reframes anxiety as the nervous system’s attempt to protect us from perceived threat. When we understand fear and anxiety through this lens, shame softens and curiosity grows creating space for healing, regulation, and compassion toward ourselves and others. This opens the door to knowing what to do when we feel fear and how to ensure worry does not turn into debilitating anxiety. So the next time you feel fear and or anxiety in you body ask yourself:
What am I afraid of exactly?
What help or wisdom do I need from GOD? From Others?
How can I begin to pursue this help or wisdom?
Remember: Anxiety isn’t weakness, it’s information. And it can be gently worked with, not fought against.
