It has been noted that we only have two natural fears at birth: The fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. All other fears are learned. But the Word of God reminds us that God has not given us a spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7). What you fear often reveals what you value most but also where you trust God the least. In the Psalms, David demonstrates how to faithfully deal with our fears -- by trusting in God (Ps. 56:3; 34:4). Rather than fearfully obsessing over what could go wrong, God gives us a spirit of power, love and self-discipline to help us overcome our fears.

Repeatedly, the Bible compares anger to fire. When fire is used constructively, it can be a blessing. But when it is channeled improperly and recklessly, fire can be destructive. The same could be said of anger. We can differentiate between anger that leads to righteous action and anger that leads to sin. Eph. 4:26-27 teaches us to get a handle on our anger; otherwise, we give the devil a foothold in our lives. Following the example of Jesus in Mark 3:1- 5, we should redirect our anger to do something good rather than lashing out.

Eph. 4:26-27; Gen. 4:6-7; Mk. 3:1-5

We may not think envy and jealousy are a bit deal, but the Bible refers to them as "earthly, unspiritual, demonic" (James 3:15). And scripture is filled with cautionary tales of the danger of envy (Cain & Abel; Rachel & Leah; Jacob & Esau; Joseph & his brothers; Saul & David). Proverbs teaches that envy rots to the bone (Prov. 14:3). We see in 2 Cor. 10:12 that envy begins with comparison.

Jam. 3:14-16; Prov. 14:30; 2 Cor. 10:12; Rom. 12:15

"Bitterness is like a cancer. It eats upon the host." - Maya Angelou.

Bitterness begins when we've been wronged, but like a toxic weed, bitterness grows out of control when we don't deal with it. For this reason, the Hebrew writer refers to bitterness as a root that grows up to cause trouble and defile many. According to Eph. 4, we must kill bitterness at its root - through forgiveness.

Heb. 12:14-15; Eph. 4:31-32; Matt. 6:14-15

The temptation to cover up our sins goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. But the Word of God says, "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." (Prov. 28:13). This plays out in David's life in 2 Sam. 11 through his secret sin with Bathsheba and the ensuing cover up. Our sins will always find us out (Num. 32:33). Yet God disciplines those whom he loves (Prov. 3:12). And if we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive (I John 1:9).