恐懼症的定義是對某些事物或情境產生「非理性的恐懼」，就像蜘蛛恐懼症是對蜘蛛產生恐懼（或許有人會爭論，這是一個完全合理的恐懼！）。此外，還有氣球恐懼症和巧克力恐懼症。這些恐懼症和其他大約四百種恐懼症，都是真實存在且有據可查。如此看來，我們對任何事物都可能感到害怕恐懼。

出埃及記講述以色列民帶著恐懼領受十誡，「眾百姓見雷轟、閃電、⋯⋯就都發顫」（20章18節）。摩西安慰他們說：「不要懼怕，因為上帝降臨是要試驗你們，叫你們時常敬畏祂」（20節）。這句話似乎有些自相矛盾，摩西說「不要懼怕」，又說要「敬畏」。但事實上，希伯來文中的「懼怕」一詞，至少包含兩個意思：對某件事物感到恐懼、顫慄，或是對上帝肅然起敬。

當我們知道有氣球恐懼症和巧克力恐懼症時，可能會覺得很好笑，但其實我們要正視恐懼症，因為我們可能會對任何事物都感到害怕。恐懼會像蜘蛛一樣悄悄爬進我們的生活，這世界可能就成為令人恐懼的地方。當我們飽受驚嚇又深受恐懼症所苦的時候，須謹記我們的上帝是令人敬畏的上帝，即使在黑暗中，我們仍能因祂的同在而享有平安和穩妥。

A phobia is defined as the “irrational fear” of certain things or situations. Arachnophobia is a fear of spiders (though some might argue that’s a perfectly rational thing to be afraid of!). Then there’s globophobia and xocolatophobia. These and some four hundred other phobias are real and documented. It seems we can become afraid of most anything.

The Bible tells of the Israelites’ fear after receiving the Ten Commandments: “When the people saw the thunder and lightning . . . they trembled with fear” (Exodus 20:18). Moses comforted them, offering this most interesting statement: “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you” (v. 20). Moses seems to contradict himself: “Don’t be afraid but be afraid.” In fact, the Hebrew word for “fear” contains at least two meanings—a trembling terror of something or a reverent awe of God.

We may laugh to learn that globophobia is the fear of balloons and xocolatophobia is a fear of chocolate. The more serious bottom line about phobias is that we can be afraid of all kinds of things. Fears creep into our lives like spiders, and the world can be a scary place. As we struggle with phobias and fears, we do well to be reminded that our God is an awesome God, offering us His present comfort in the midst of darkness.