The Sunday Mail
Pastor Tinashe Zinyemba
Adrenaline is a natural stimulant made in the adrenal gland of the kidney. Its’ biological name is epinephrine.
It is carried in the bloodstream and affects the autonomous nervous system, which controls functions such as the heart rate, dilation of the pupils, and secretion of sweat and saliva.
Adrenaline is the body’s activator, and is released in response to anxiety, exercise, or fear.
This is the basis of the so-called “fight-or-flight” reaction. There are various situations in life that we face which will cause us to either fight or flee and in these instances adrenaline is secreted into your bloodstream.
The Bible gives indications as to what one must do when they face situations of anxiety, fear or stimulation. The general reaction for most youths is to fight. However I want someone to know that there is no shame in fleeing. What is important is knowing where to flee to.
I saw an interesting quote the other day and it said, “If you think your alarm woke you up try putting it next to a dead body and see if the person comes back to life.”
It got me thinking about how we can fool ourselves into a false sense of reality. Proverbs 3:5 clearly states that lean not on your own understanding.
Sometimes in life we face seemingly insurmountable challenges where we have no idea how we got to where we are or how we’re going to come out of it. Elijah found himself in such a situation in 1 Kings19. He had been obeying the word of God and doing His will.
After slaying the false prophets and praying for rain to come, Jezebel announced a bounty on his life, and declared that she would not rest until he was dead. Fear and anxiety got hold of Elijah and he fled. David was in a similar situation as well in 2Samuel 11.
He hadn’t gone to war with the army and in a moment of weakness he slept with another man’s wife. As if that wasn’t bad enough she got pregnant and he tried to cover it up. This eventually led him to get that woman’s husband killed. Nathan the prophet exposed him and it was a very low point in his life.
Moreover the child that the woman gave birth to died. Can you imagine the amount of shame and pressure he must have gone through? David fled . . . but not like you think.
Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2v:22, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Paul encourages Timothy to flee . . . yes to run away. But it is not so much as running away but more of running to something. And in the process move away from what is causing you all that anxiety. Joseph was in a very compromising position when his boss’s wife wanted him to sleep with her.
Joseph fled from that situation and ran towards his destiny (even though it did not look like it at the time). Sometimes we find ourselves in situations that may or may not be of our making and compromise appears to be the easier option.
Compromising your values for the joy of temporary pleasure can be the worst position you can ever put yourself in. Paul advises Timothy that should any occasion arise when compromise is a possibility then he must flee . . . flee to righteousness, faith, love, peace.
You could be reading this and find yourself in a place of compromise, pressure, fear, anxiety, and you’re not too sure what to do. The psalmist said in Psalms 121vs1-2, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
The psalmist knew that when situations become uncertain, we must run to The Lord.
Shadreck, Misheck and Abednego in Daniel 3 found themselves in a serious fix. Everyone around them including their peers was bowing to the image of Nebuchadnezzar but they knew deep inside what was the right thing to do. They fled to righteousness, and God met them at their point of need. What am I trying to say with all of this?
As a young person you’re going to face situations where you’re intimidated or bullied by life into a difficult position. In those moments don’t hesitate but run to Jesus. He says in Matthew 11v:28, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
The solution to your fix is running to God and not trying to do things according to peer pressure or what societal norms dictate. Flee youthful lusts and temptations of this world and pursue righteousness, seek the face of God. One thing I know for sure is that God always has a solution and a plan. He is not confused and He is not worried. He is waiting for you to run to Him. Till next time . . . God bless!
The writer is a pastor with New Life Covenant Church. Feedback: [email protected]
