The feeling as a mirror…

Originally posted on July 30, 2007 – by Andre Piet

Today I responded to an email in which I was asked how to deal with feelings of fear. Since the answer might also be valuable to others, here is briefly (approximately) my reply:

I have no idea what kind of fears were troubling you, and that doesn’t matter at all. One thing I do know: the more you occupy yourself with your fears, the more those fears will arise. That’s as much a law of nature as the fact that objects always fall downward and never upward. Compare your emotional life to a mirror. If you direct your attention to fear, then you will start to feel fear. If, on the other hand, you focus on the One who holds the entire world in His hand and who has everything under control, then you will experience peace. If you ask yourself what could all go wrong tomorrow, then you will definitely begin to feel anxious and afraid. It’s logical, because what you focus on, that is what you will feel. But if you are aware that God will give you today, tomorrow, and the day after everything you need (and much more), then you become joyful and look forward to the surprises He has in store for you. What a difference!!
The big question is: what are you focusing on? Because the direction in which you look determines what you will experience.

The vast majority of people (in my opinion) have no idea how the emotional life works and, when they feel miserable, go to the doctor or psychiatrist who then gives them medication (read: drugs) to ease the pain. Or you’re prescribed to go into therapy in order to recover. With the underlying idea that a bad feeling is a ‘defect’ or something that must be fought. What I just described is a completely different approach. It says that it is entirely normal that those who focus on negative things will feel negative. But why would you? Take the word ‘negative’ literally and it tells you: neglect! – give it no attention.

Those who glorify and thank God as GOD will naturally experience peace and joy (cf. Rom. 1:21). You don’t have to do anything for that, you don’t need to see a psychiatrist, you don’t need to take anything, it saves you a lot of worry and… it doesn’t cost you a cent 😉
Voila!

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