Are Christians in Control of Their Anxieties?

Does the Christian who has anxiety or panic attacks have the freedom of will needed to control or overcome the fear? A characteristic of panic seems to be lack of control on the part of the sufferer. Worry can seem like the constant pressure of an obsession that leads to, well, something worse. In a purely naturalistic world view (without God), humans are soul-less, but chemically complex material structures that are ultimately controlled either by internal chains of bio-chemical reactions or externally by various forces. In that case, it would be reasonable to infer that panic attacks, for example, can be controlled either by altering bodily chemical reactions in the right way (by drugs or nutrition or by removing toxins) or by the pressure of external forces such as behavior modification therapies or lifestyle changes.

Of course the Christian worldview shares with the naturalistic one a view of the human body that is material and chemical, subject to material internal and external causes. But the number of possible causes increases for the Christian to include God and, perhaps, human will partially independent of material causes. I say the human will may be partially independent of things that make us worry or panic because it appears the will may be influenced by financial and relational troubles, danger, and so on. But during a panic attack and under various pressures, one can certainly feel out of control. And thus a question arises whether there are conditions under which freedom of the will has been overcome.

And for those already in an anxiety disorder (like panic attacks or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or others), often that is cause for added worry. Will I “lose it” or go crazy or die? Yes, life can be very unpleasant in such circumstances. Fear of losing control of ourselves finds some justification, it seems, in other areas of human experience. Take being drunk or “high” on some illicit drug. Take multiple or extreme stresses, demonic oppression, sleep deprivation, torture or abuse.

Hold it! Let’s not get morose or carried away. For now, let us just concede that there are external influences that can make us do things we would not do in the absence of those influences. And are there internal influences? Actually I do not mean when the brain does not function properly because of some internal chemical or physical cause–which is possible. Rather I mean influences at the level of normal human emotion, conscious thought, and will. I mean at the level of the human soul or spirit. I realize this is a sticky situation. I do not want to point fingers. I have my own problems too. I am trying to speak (OK, write) from a general perspective and head toward a solution.

But if you are a Christian, and I think even if you are not, at some level you know we are all sinners. Now is not the time to go into all that I or others mean and don’t mean by the word “sinners,” but I wanted to focus on the question at hand, here formed something like the following. Is it possible that a human soul could so influence its own human will as to control that person into making him or her panic or worry?

(I am not trying to imply that everybody or even anybody suffering from panic attacks wants the attacks. I am also not saying that the human soul need be the only cause of panic and worry in any individual to whom the “human soul” cause might apply.)

Take an analogy. Some people are victims of their own compulsive or addictive behavior even when they have taken no material substance seriously messing with their brain chemistry. What about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? Anorexia Nervosa? Food addictions? Sexual addiction? Bullying? Granted, life is complicated. But if we can be victims of addictions and compulsive behaviors, can we not at the same time also be complicit, sabotaging ourselves? Can we sincerely want to overcome our panic attacks and irrational anxieties at the same time that our sinful souls somehow pressure us into more or greater anxieties?

Again, I am not saying this even might be true of everybody with an anxiety disorder. I just don’t know. One thing I do know is that we are all sinners. When Jesus told His audience to remove the planks from their own eyes before they attempted to remove the speck of sawdust from their neighbor’s eye, He was commenting on a bit of human nature. We are all inclined to see greater faults in others and lesser faults in ourselves. To some extent, we are all blind to the way our sinful nature distorts and influences our thoughts, will, and emotions (not to mention actions) for evil. That, after all, is why Jesus died and rose again–for our sins and for our justification.

And because Jesus died for our sins and not for the material influences contributing to our fear and panic suggests that the sin in our souls is the most powerful and dangerous evil influence on us. Thank God Jesus has done for us what we could not do. Thank God He has enabled the Christian to desire and will to do what is good (Philippians 2:12-13), such as not to be afraid and not to panic insofar as these may be caused by our sinful souls. And if we need to change jobs or nutrition or get therapy or whatever, we hope these will solve the respective other contributing causes to our anxieties, depending on the case.

Let’s work toward a calm, self-controlled and stable you. See more help for Christians with anxiety and be sure to sign up for the free email mini-course, especially if you need panic attack relief.