Fight or Flight?
My husband and I were on a walk down the country lane near our home, crossed over a creek and climbed up the hill into a wooded area when we heard something. I’ve ran into deer on this road before so I just assumed that it was a deer crunching through the leaves and undergrowth. But my husband’s well trained ears and eyes knew better. His time in the woods have given him senses attuned to different animal sounds and keen eyes to see the spot of black through the leaves. I didn’t believe him and peered deeper into the woods to see something, but it was suddenly silent and dark.
I didn’t think too much more about it and continued on our path until we turned around and returned the way we had come. As we came down the hill approaching the creek, we heard a thundering pounding running beast coming through the woods directly towards us. With teeth bared, he hissed at us and charged towards us. And in my mind, all I could think was, “RUN AWAY!”
Thankfully, my husband’s wisdom prevailed and he stood up tall, waving his arms and yelling at the bear. The charge stopped and we continued calmly (seemingly) down the road. My heart was beating a million times a second and my breath was caught in my throat.
If you run from a bear, it will chase you. And that would be really bad. If my husband hadn’t been there, I might have just frozen in fear.
Psychologists say that we have a natural adrenaline response to danger and we either want to flee or else we have an urge to fight. This experience made me realize how close danger can be and how unexpected it can come. James 1 says that we will experience trials of many kinds in this life and wonder how many times we face those trials with a compulsion for fight or flight?
When you have faced something terrifying like job loss, tragedy, or anxieties, what is your natural response? I know I want to just run away even though I know I shouldn’t.
My husband’s awareness of the bear came from lots of time in the woods and trained ears and eyes. I think if we train our spiritual eyes and ears to sense God at work around us and the spiritual battles raging behind the scenes, we will also be more prepared to stand up to danger.
I’m so grateful for my husband’s presence that day in the woods. He stood up to the bear and put me behind himself in a protective stance. Isn’t that the way God is with us too? The trials are still there, but He stands in front of us protectively watching out for us, keeping us from mortal harm.
And when your heart races in anxiety? Can you stand behind Him, wave your hands in the air and stand up to the enemy of our souls? Because if we run, he will keep pursuing us, but if we stand up in Jesus’ name, he will be held at bay.
Great post! And a great reminder of our Daddy’s love and protection–standing firm when the enemy comes around.
Wonderful post.
Amen to that; that is why God has given us His Word to remember and say it out loud if we need to.
Wow. I dont know what I would have done. Great reminder of the importance of knowing Gods Word so we can stand upon it in a blink of an eye.