I read an interesting ancient legend. A peasant was driving to Constantinople one day when an old woman hailed him and begged for a ride. He obliged her. As they drove along, curiosity got a better hold of him, so he wanted to know more about the stranger he had graciously accommodated. He asked her, “Who are you?’’ The old woman replied, “I am Cholera”. Immediately, the peasant ordered her to get down and walk. She, however, persuaded him to carry her still, promising that she would not kill more than five persons in Constantinople.
In order to give bite to her promise, she handed the peasant a dagger, claiming that that was the only weapon that could kill her. Furthermore, she offered that if she went beyond five the peasant should kill her. By the last count, 120 persons died in Constantinople. When the peasant saw her two days later, he made a move to stab the woman, but she offered an explanation. She claimed that she actually killed five persons as promised, but fear killed the others! The fear of Cholera did more damage than the Cholera herself. Fear of contracting a chronic disease of terminal nature fear is called Nosophobia.
Besides the legend, is there any real connection between fear and death? The answer would be in the affirmative if we can establish a link between fear and disease. Diseases are often the cause of death, and it has been proven scientifically that fear does cause diseases.
Among other things, fear weakens our immune system.
It can also cause cardiovascular as well as gastrointestinal problems. It is even said that unmitigated fear can decrease fertility. Scriptural evidence about fear is then admissible at this point. Reading from 1 John 4:18, we understand that fear has torment. The only way to treat this terrible plague is to trust the Lord and hand over to Him whatever is making us afraid.