You Need Not Fear

Breathe Deep and Know: God can help you replace fear with power, love, and self-control as you turn to Him and trust Him with your life.

Have you ever felt out of control when you’re afraid or extremely stressed? There’s a physiological reason that happens. When your nervous system senses danger, the amygdala (sometimes called the emotional brain) takes over and literally bypasses the frontal lobe (sometimes called the logic brain) in order to prepare your body for fight, flight, or freeze, in a process that psychologist Daniel Goleman first called “amygdala hijacking.”^a Your body reacts automatically, without intentional thought, and the result can often leave you feeling like you have no control over your reactions or behavior in that moment.

The limbic system serves your body well when you’re facing an actual threat, like a bear attack for example, but it’s not as helpful when the “danger” is merely a stressful situation. These are the times when breath prayers, especially when practiced regularly, can be very helpful. As you slow your breathing, you’re telling your nervous system that there is nothing to fear, which allows your amygdala to chill out a bit and lets your logical brain begin to function again.

Pray the words of this prayer, and replace feelings of fear with words of truth.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

inhale:

YOU DO NOT GIVE A SPIRIT OF FEAR,

exhale:

BUT OF POWER AND LOVE AND SELF-CONTROL.