The Unholy Trinity-Part 1

"Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." (Genesis 3:8-10)

Over the next three months I will be sharing a foundational key as to what underlies all of the emotional challenges which we may face. It's what I call the "unholy trinity," which are fear, shame, and guilt. After the Fall, these three emotions emerged as the core of every struggle humanity faces and will face until Christ returns. Every challenge we encounter either has one or more of these characters at the center of it all. I like to visualize the unholy trinity as throwing an ongoing party to which we have a never ending invitation. Our first character, fear, often manifests in feelings of anxiety and insecurity. Many of the clients I see in my practice often express feelings of anxiety. Fear was the first thing that Adam expressed after God called to him in the garden, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid....(Genesis 3:10) When we accept the party invitation from fear, we are hindered from moving forward with what God has called and gifted us to do. 

Fear Is Always Inviting Us To The Party

Fear is always holding out our favorite food and whispering in our ear, "You don't want to do that, you may fail" or "what happens if..." or "what's that person going to think if you say or do that?" "Come join the party and eat your fill of fear!" My word of encouragement when clients are expressing these fears is, "Don't listen and don't go to the party!" The words, "Do not be afraid" are expressed in both the Old and New Testaments. Some scholars have estimated the phrase occurs over 365 times, which shows how much emphasis God places on the significance of those words. For example, the Lord said to Joshua before he was to lead the people into the Promised Land, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."(Joshua 1:9) Joshua had a monumental task ahead of him but God promises that He would be with Joshua. Jesus also comforted His disciples after He informed them that He would be leaving them, but that He would send the Holy Spirit to be their strength in Jesus' absence, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) 

God's Word Is Our Weapon Against Fear

God knew after the Fall fear would try its best to hinder us from following Him. Therefore, God encourages us through His word to trust Him, to listen to His voice and don't go to the party! There are times when fear is healthy and serves as an ally versus an adversary. For example, in situations when our safety is threatened, fear triggers within us the need to flee in the opposite direction. However, in circumstances where self doubt and insecurity arise, God is our strength, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7) Moreover, like Joshua, we have the promise that God will always be with us, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5b-6) So in those moments when fear holds out that party invitation, we can counter with a better invitation. The invitation of God's word, which grounds us and strengthens us through His promises.
Thanks be to God!
Pastor Sheree