The word “fear” is often found in the Holy Letter, prayer books and services. “Lord, instill in me the root of good things, Thy fear in my heart” (from prayers for the coming sleep). Is it really necessary to be afraid in order to believe? Doesn't the feeling of fear paralyze and make people incapable of conscious actions?
In Christianity, the case of the forty Sebastian martyrs is known. They were sentenced to death and must be frozen in the lake. During the execution, one of them could not stand it and ran into the heated bathhouse. One of the guards, seeing the Glory of God, took his place and died a Christian. Why did one fear death, and the second joyfully went to death?
This article is about the fear of God.
Icon of those who overcame the fear of death “Forty Martyrs of Sebaste”. Mosaic, church in Pereslavl-Zalessky, Yaroslavl region.
Fears of the modern world
Modern man is exposed to many fears every day. There is a rush at work, there is illness, another terrorist attack, and scientists are predicting the imminent end of the world. All this, against the will, instills feelings of panic and anxiety in a person. People sign up for consultations with psychologists, resort to antidepressants, and attend various courses and trainings. At the same time, no amount of effort helps modern man cope with the burden of fears and worries. An Orthodox Christian knows where to find true peace. Therefore, he resorts to God in prayer and trust in Him. Let's consider how Orthodoxy relates to fears, and what kind of prayer a Christian has for fear and anxiety.
“Fear causes great harm: the body relaxes from loss of spirit and deprivation of calm, and without illness, illness occurs” (Reverend Macarius of Optina).
Prayer for Fear
Fear and its negative manifestations
According to the dictionary, fear is a feeling of anxiety and panic that depresses a person, internal anxiety caused by an imaginary or real danger.
On the one hand, some feeling of fear is useful and inherent in a person by God. It is necessary to avoid unnecessary danger. For example, healthy fear forces a person who cannot swim not to go deep into the water. The caution generated by this fear encourages the novice driver not to use sharp maneuvers when driving.
However, most often the fears nesting in the soul are far-fetched and exaggerated. A person is afraid of getting sick, getting old, being left alone. He is afraid of the dark and insects, an evil boss and simply the unknown of tomorrow. Man is afraid of life itself.
“Fear is a very painful state, it is even worse than what we are afraid of. And it is fear in most cases that kills, and not the very thing that caused it” (abbot Nektary Morozov).
The Holy Fathers call conceit and pride the cause of all fears. Relying only on one’s own strength and the desire to control everything does not leave room in the soul for God’s help and grace. And without God, a person loses his support and point of balance. Events of even a five-minute future are not under the control of anyone except the Lord.
A person who strives to predict and plan everything himself will inevitably encounter unforeseen circumstances that will sow panic and anxiety in his soul. Without trust in God, a person seems to stand at a crossroads, exposed to all the winds of dangers and fears.
“A proud soul is a slave to fear; trusting in herself, she is afraid of the faint sound of creatures, and of the very shadows” (Rev. John Climacus).
Fear in its various manifestations pushes a person to rash actions and even crimes. There is a lot of evidence of this both in the destinies of individual people and in the history of all mankind.
Jewish priests and ministers sentenced Christ himself to death on the cross for fear of losing their power and authority. And in Soviet times, fear for their well-being forced people to write denunciations against loved ones.
HUMILITY IS NOT OBSESSION
For many, the combination of such a truly military virtue - fearlessness before death - and the imaginary Christian “gentleness” is inexplicable. But in fact, humility is not about softness. Humility is the highest form of fearlessness, born of faith and hope in God. In Bulgakov, Pilate cannot intimidate Christ with the fact that his life “hangs by a thread,” because Christ answers with irony, saying that it was not you who hung it, and it is not you who will decide when it ends. The “little man,” downtrodden and humiliated, is, in essence, the same anti-hero of Christianity as the most evil tyrant. He constantly lives in fear, he is forced to take some action (or inaction) out of fear. A true Christian is by no means a downtrodden and humiliated person. By definition, it is impossible to “beat him down and humiliate him.” He who is not afraid of death is completely free. And fear is the opposite of freedom. A Christian must humble himself only before the will of God, and not before the will of the powers that be.
What is fear in Orthodoxy
For an Orthodox Christian, only one fear is justified - the fear of God. And this does not mean that he fears the Lord as an evil Judge who mercilessly punishes misdeeds and sins. First of all, it is the fear of offending and hurting the One whom you love very much. Therefore, such a person, out of fear of losing spiritual communication with the Lord, strives to fulfill God’s commandments and commandments.
“Where the fear of God prevails, humility reigns there, God descends there, inhabits such a soul, and dwells, and abides in it, and becomes, as it were, its guardian, and drives away all other fears” (Rev. Ephraim the Syrian).
The monk also notes that having the fear of God helps to get rid of other everyday worries. After all, if true love for the Lord lives in us, it means that we completely trust Him and His care for us. The Apostle John also testifies to this, saying: “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18).
It is not for nothing that the Lord Jesus Christ often turns to the people around him with a call not to be afraid of anything. “Do not be afraid, only believe,” says the Savior to the ruler of the synagogue, who heard about the death of his daughter (Mark 5:36). “Do not be afraid,” the Apostle Peter heard when the Lord performed a miracle with a fish catch on Lake Gennesaret (Luke 5). The words “do not be afraid, little flock!” (Luke 12:32) from the sermon of Jesus to this day resound for the entire Church of Christ.
Therefore, an Orthodox Christian should not give in to panic and unrest. Paralyzing a person, fear makes him unable to adequately assess the situation and make the right decision. A frightened person, expecting tricks and troubles everywhere, is unable to help his neighbor and do deeds of mercy. Cowardice is a territory in which there is no God. Fear is like a tenacious web. It entwines the soul and heart of a person, ultimately closing the Divine Image and Light from him.
Holy Fathers: the fear of God is the main thing, without it it is impossible to be saved
The fathers and teachers of the church throughout the centuries have taught the people of God how to get rid of the fears of the carnal nature and how to learn the fear of God.
The best way to know the truth is to read quotes from the greatest teachers of the church.
Holy Fathers about the fear of God.
| Saint | Quote about the fear of God |
Saint John Chrysostom | Living without fear, you cannot accomplish anything noble or amazing. Therefore, the apostle says: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). And he didn’t just say: with fear, but added: and trembling, which is the highest degree of fear. For if everyday affairs cannot be accomplished without fear, then how much less spiritual ones? Tell me: who learned to read and write without fear? Who has become proficient in art without fear? If, however, where the devil does not lie in wait, but only laziness weighs on us, we need such fear in order to ward off negligence, then with such a struggle, with such obstacles, how can we ever be saved without fear? How can this fear be born? If we think that God is present everywhere, hears everything, sees everything, not only deeds and words, but also everything that happens in the heart and in the depths of the soul: “he judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12) - if so If we set ourselves up, we won’t do, or say, or think anything bad. … Hold yourself firmly, stand with fear and look cheerfully, so as not to fall from there. For there are many spirits of evil who want to overthrow you |
Venerable Theophan the Recluse | The fear of God is the main thing. When he comes, the good owner arranges everything in his soul in his own way. Do you have it? If there is, thank God and keep it, and if not, wake it up: for it is contained in our spirit, and if it does not manifest itself, it is due to our inattention. From the fear of God, the spirit is crushed, the heart is contrite and humble. Let the feeling of contrition never leave your heart! To maintain the fear of God, one must keep the persistent memory of death and the memory of Judgment. As soon as you wake up, call on this memory and be in partnership with it all day long, as your first advisor. ... For if this is not there, everything else is nothing... |
Venerable Neil of Sinai | When you truly love heavenly blessings... then, just then, you will see terrible temptations, then you will experience terrible battles. Do not lose heart at all, and do not become afraid if low, godless and hateful people revile you... |
Venerable Isaac the Syrian | Just as it is impossible to cross a large sea without a ship and a boat, so no one can achieve love without fear. We can cross the stinking sea between us and mental paradise only on the boat of repentance, on which there are oarsmen of fear. But if these oarsmen of fear do not rule the ship of repentance, on which we sail across the sea of this world to God, then we will drown in this stinking sea. Repentance is our ship, and fear is its helmsman, but love is the divine pier. Therefore, fear takes us onto the ship of repentance, transports us across the stinking sea of life and guides us to the divine pier, which is love. And when we achieve love, then we have reached God, and our path is complete, and we have come to the island of the other world, where the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are. |
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk | The fear of God is the “beginning of wisdom,” without which a person cannot achieve the only true and necessary goal and meaning of earthly life - unity with God for eternal bliss with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven. A person who does not have this gracious fear in himself cannot preserve the image and likeness of God, given to human nature by God at creation. Without the fear of God, a person loses his spirituality, moves away from his Creator, and becomes carnal (Gen. 6:3). Only the presence of the fear of God in a person testifies to his spirituality. In addition, the fear of God, like a faithful guardian, always vigilantly guards the spiritual home of a Christian from all evil. |
Venerable Ephraim the Syrian | Blessed is the man who has the fear of God in himself. He who fears the Lord is truly beyond all enemy tricks and has escaped all the enemy’s snares. Whoever has the fear of God is conveniently saved from the plans of the evil enemy. He who is afraid does not float his mind here and there; because he is waiting for his Master. He who has the fear of God is never careless, because he is always sober. He who is afraid does not indulge in excessive sleep, because he is awake and awaits the coming of his Lord. He who is afraid does not remain indifferent, so as not to irritate his Master. He who is afraid is not lazy, because he always takes care of his property, fearing to fall into condemnation. He who is afraid always prefers what is pleasing to his Lord and prepares it, so that the Lord, when he comes, will praise him for many things. No man is as exalted as he who fears the Lord. He who fears the Lord is like a light, showing many the way to salvation. He who fears the Lord is like a fortified city standing on a mountain; and wicked demons tremble before his face. |
Venerable Simeon the New Theologian | A person must lead his life in faith, in purity, in the fear of God, in reverence, in contrition and tears, thanks to which he is internally cleansed and filled with Divine light and becomes completely filled with the Holy Spirit in a contrite soul. |
Venerable John Climacus | A proud soul is a slave to fear; trusting in herself, she is afraid of the faint sound of creatures, and the very shadows. Fear is an imagined misfortune; or in other words, fear is a trembling feeling of the heart, anxious and lamenting from the idea of unknown misadventures. Fear is the deprivation of firm hope. When the fear of the Lord comes to the heart, it shows him all his sins, and at the same time, the increase in the fear of God is the beginning of love. |
The cure for fear is faith and prayer
The main reason for our anxiety and worry is the lack of complete trust in the Lord. Christ Himself pointed out the lack of faith as the root of fear. Addressing the disciples during a storm on the Sea of Galilee, He asked:
“Why are you so fearful, you of little faith?” (Matt. 8:26).
True faith allows you to overcome any fears. After all, then we surrender ourselves into the hands of our Creator, who loves us infinitely and desires only our salvation.
“The Lord builds everything, and in the best way for us” (St. Theophan the Recluse).
In the words of Christ: “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:29). This means that nothing happens in a person’s life by chance, without the Divine will. Even difficult and sorrowful situations, according to God’s Providence, are guides for the human soul to the Kingdom of Heaven.
“A Christian should not be afraid and suffer from dangers, wavering in his trust in God. He needs to be brave, because the Lord is with him, organizing his affairs for the good and strengthening him in all adversities, and with him the Holy Spirit, teaching even what to answer to opponents” (St. Basil the Great).
The best weapon against cowardice and anxiety for a Christian is prayer against fear and anxiety.
“The enemy attacks strongly, instilling despair, despondency, and fear. Sometimes a person gives up, but such sadness is illegal. It is necessary to resist the enemy through prayer and the sign of the cross, in which an incomprehensible power is hidden” (Reverend Joseph of Optina).
In moments of anxiety, prayer is a lifeboat that will lead the soul out of the raging waves of danger and fear. Turning to God is the surest shield against cowardice and fear, which gives a person confidence and calmness.
“Prayer is a strong wall, destruction of passions, well-being of souls, peace for the suffering, consolation for those who cry...” (St. Theodore of Edessa).
Prayer connects a person with God. And as the Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Romans:
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).
A fearful person is not pleasing to the Lord - says Scripture
Animal fear is a natural feeling given by God for self-preservation. Man is the image and likeness of God, and he must be likened to the God-man Jesus Christ. Going to death on the cross, Christ had human flesh and overcame pain and fear. Many of his followers followed Him, overcoming such animal feelings.
New martyrs and confessors of Russia. The icon was created from real photographs by a group of icon painters of the Orthodox St. Tikhon's Theological Institute
Having taken the way of the cross, a Christian must know that God does not love the fearful.
The fearful, who betrayed faith for the sake of temporary life, the Lord calls unfaithful. In this case, fear is a sin.
(Rev 21.8)
“But the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. This is the second death"
Prayer for Fear
“Prayer is a great blessing,” says St. John Chrysostom. What kind of prayer for anxiety exists in Orthodoxy?
An example of one of the most vivid prayers in moments of spiritual fear and excitement is given by Jesus Christ. As a man, fearing the impending suffering on the cross and death, the Lord prayed until he sweated blood in the Garden of Gethsemane that the cup of suffering would pass by Him. After strong spiritual struggles, the Savior said a prayer that every Christian should arm himself with: “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).
These words contain complete trust in God and His Providence, which, like summer rain, extinguishes the fire of fear and excitement.
“The prayer must be correct: “Thy will be done!” The Savior Himself, the God-man, showed us in Himself the complete agreement of the human will with the will of the Heavenly Father. And we must imitate the Lord, at least strive for this. This imitation is the basis of our Christian life” (Bishop of Pokrovsky and Nikolaevsky Pachomius).
The Holy Fathers also advise reading the Psalms of David during panic attacks. The Old Testament king David was in mortal danger more than once. He suffered persecution from his former comrade and patron, King Saul. Survived betrayal and persecution from his own son Absalom. At the same time, peace and confidence in Divine Providence always remained in his heart. The psalms of David, which he wrote in moments of emotional unrest and experience, are a real hymn of love and devotion to God. The Holy Fathers especially highlight Psalms 90 and 45, which are read as a prayer for fear.
“To calm yourself, read the ninetieth psalm, in which the Holy Spirit says: Evil will not approach you (Ps. 90:10), and trouble will not come near your village, and so on” (Reverend Anthony of Optina (Putilov).
SINS GENERATE FEARS
Fear is dictated by passions and attachments - the desire to have something or the reluctance to lose some earthly values to which we are attached - health, life, property. The fight against passions is, first of all, the fight against addiction, this is the path to liberation. The Apostle Paul says - everything is allowed to me, but nothing should possess me. That is, sins about power, management, ownership. Looking at the list of deadly sins, you can see that they are all about fear, dependence and attempts to own or control. They are all trying to make Gollum out of man with “his beauty.” Gluttony, fornication - dependence on bodily desires. The love of money is associated with the thirst for possession and power (you can read about how money itself begins to “possess” a person in Pushkin’s “The Stingy Knight”). Vanity is dependence on people’s opinions, a thirst for recognition. Anger, as already said, is the result of fear and a desperate desire to regain control. Understanding that dependence, lack of freedom and fear are the “roots of evil” in any sin, you can easily clarify and expand this list. For example, for some reason alcoholism is forcibly pushed into gluttony, and drug addiction is generally not clear where. But it is clear that these are exactly the same addictions as addiction to food and sex (gluttony and fornication). By the way, “sexaholics” suddenly noticed by Western society simply reveal the same essence of fornication – addiction to sex.
Prayer for Fear: Evidence of Help
Prayer and trust in God allow you to overcome fear and find peace. It is enough to sincerely, like a child, entrust oneself into the hands of a caring Heavenly Father - and the soul is filled with grace. And a person strengthened by grace is able to fearlessly face any life situations.
This is confirmed by the countless number of martyrs of the Orthodox Church. For two thousand years, the followers of Christ bravely went to suffering and death for the sake of the name of the Lord. They remembered the Savior’s covenant:
“And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28).
Throughout the history of Christianity, believers turn to God with sincere prayer at critical moments in life. And to this day, evidence continues to appear of how prayer from fear instilled in a person calmness and confidence in Divine Love.
For example, Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) says that in the most difficult moments associated with the death of his mother and sister, with his own cancer, it was prayer that helped him not to succumb to fear.
Here is the testimony of Saratov doctor Alexey Dovlatov. He constantly fights for the lives of people faced with the infamous Covid-19 coronavirus.
Alexey talks about panic and anxiety:
“Panic is bad because a person loses his will, begins to make mistakes and only worsens the situation. A person has no soul at this moment. Fear paralyzes you so much that you can’t do anything. At this moment, you only need one thing - to pray. Turn to God, and He will return your soul to its place. <…>.
Everything depends on God, and only on God! And a little from us. And all that remains is to turn to God - calm down and pray. When you panic, you start rushing back and forth, twitching, but all to no avail - this is a devilish haste, it takes you away, and you end up tormenting yourself. And if you calm down, turn to God, He will tell you a way out.”
FEAR DOESN'T LET YOU LOVE
Love is the main theme of Christianity, the highest form of virtue. Love now means anything. But to understand the essence of Christian love, it is enough to turn everything to the same concept - fear, freedom and dependence. For example, why is Christian love a sacrifice? Because sacrifice is freeing yourself from your own addictions. When you sacrifice for someone else, you give up something for yourself. At the same time, Christian love is in no way the kind of love-manipulation, love-control that some loving mothers surround their unfortunate children with. Christian love is freedom for another, when you are not afraid to lose and do not try to cage your loved one. As the Agatha Christie song says, “Where there is fear, there is no place for love.” Because love requires openness and freedom. God loves, Satan cannot love, and therefore cannot be loved - and instead wants to control with the help of lies, addiction and fear. Too often now love is anything but freedom for oneself and another. Instead of love, now there is passion, a painful desire to “fuck” someone, to take possession of someone, as well as mutual lies and dependence - even the term “codependency” was invented.
Prayers for fear
Psalm 90
He who lives in the help of the Most High will dwell in the blood of the Heavenly God, says the Lord: You are my Protector and my Refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap and from the words of rebellion: His splash will overshadow you, and under His krill you hope that His truth will surround you with weapons. Do not fear from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies in the days, from the thing that passes in the darkness, from the attack and the demon of the midday. Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come near you: behold your eyes and see the reward of sinners.
For You, O Lord, are my hope: You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not come to you, and wound will not approach your body {your village}: as His Angel commanded you about you, to keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, lest you dash your foot against a stone: tread on the asp and the basilisk, and cross over the lion and the serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver, and I will cover, because I have known My name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will destroy him and glorify him: I will fulfill him with the length of days and show him My salvation.
Psalm 45
God is our Refuge and Strength, our Helper in the tribulations of those who have come upon us greatly. For this reason let us not fear; sometimes the earth is troubled, and the mountains are cut into the hearts of the sea. Their waters made noise and trembled, and the mountains were trembled by His strength. The river's aspirations rejoice the city of God: the Most High has sanctified His village. God is in his midst, and does not move: God will help him in the morning. The pagans were in confusion, straying from the kingdom: the Most High gave His voice, the earth moved. The Lord of strength is with us, our Protector God Jacob. Come and see the works of God, even placing miracles on the earth: taking away the battle to the end of the earth, the bow will crush and break the weapons, and the shields will burn with fire. Be abolished and understand that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted to the earth. The Lord of strength is with us, our Protector God Jacob.
Prayer to the Honest Cross
May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. Like smoke disappears, let them disappear; As wax melts in the presence of fire, so let demons perish on behalf of those who love God and sign the sign of the cross, and say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, driving away and the demons have the power upon you of our Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled underfoot the power the devil, and who gave us Your Honest Cross to drive away every adversary. Oh, Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.
Read us conveniently on social networks:
Tags: prayer for fear, prayer for fear and anxiety, prayer for anxiety
