Fight or Flight – When Pressure Pushes Us, Where Do We Run?
We’ve all felt it.That tightness in the chest.The rush of adrenaline.The urge to either argue our way through a problem or disappear from it entirely.The world calls it “fight or flight.”Scripture calls it the battle of the heart.When stress rises, conflict happens, or fear presses in, something inside us springs into action. We either feel like swinging our fists at the situation or sprinting as far away from it as possible. Sometimes we do both—fight with people, flee from responsibility, war on the outside while running on the inside.But here’s the question:
What if God invites us into a third response—faith?
1. Fight: When Our First Instinct Is to Control
For some, stress stirs up defensiveness. We speak quicker, get louder, try to fix everything immediately. We take matters into our own hands.Fighting isn’t always wrong—there are good battles. Protecting our family. Standing for truth. Confronting injustice. But often the fight comes from fear, not faith. We fight because we feel we must survive.But our strength wasn’t meant to carry every battle.Sometimes the greatest act of courage is stepping back and letting God be God.
2. Flight: When Our Heart Wants to Hide
Others respond by shutting down, escaping emotionally, or running from hard conversations. We avoid. We numb. We distract ourselves and hope the problem will fade.But you can’t outrun what’s happening inside you.Distance may give relief for a moment, but it rarely brings healing.
Flight may remove us from the situation,
but it often keeps us from restoration.
3. A Better Way: Faith
Where fight says “I must win,”and flight says “I must escape,”faith says “I will trust.”Faith doesn’t ignore reality.Faith doesn’t pretend everything is fine.Faith doesn’t freeze or flee.Faith stands still long enough to hear God’s voice.Faith brings our shaking heart into God’s steady hands.Faith says, like David, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” (Psalm 56:3)Faith isn’t passive—it’s powerful.Faith is choosing peace when anxiety screams.Faith is responding with grace when anger wants control.Faith is facing the storm knowing Jesus is in the boat.
4. How to Practice Faith in Stressful Moments
Here are three simple questions to slow the reaction and awaken the response of faith:
• What am I feeling right now? Name it. Fear. Anger. Shame. Pressure. Awareness brings clarity.
• What is my instinct—fight or flight?Pause long enough to notice what your heart wants to do.
• What would faith look like here?A prayer before speaking. A calm conversation instead of an argument. A step forward instead of running away.Surrender instead of control. Sometimes faith looks like silence. Sometimes faith looks like action.But always, faith looks like trust.
The Bottom Line
We will all face moments of fight or flight—but followers of Jesus are invited into something greater. Not reaction, but response. Not panic, but presence. Not survival, but surrender. Next time stress rises and your heart races, pause and breathe this simple prayer:
“Lord, lead my response.
Not by fear or flesh,
but by faith.”
And watch how He meets you there.