Fear quietly motivates us to seek information - or at least stay away from our heart.

Fear constricts, separates and causes division. It often leads to assumption. I've found it keeps me from seeking out truth and sincerely desiring to understand people and situations. It shrouds and intimidates. It causes us to categorize things into nice boxes that we try to control. There are many physical side effects to negative emotions - especially fear. Fear (and other emotions) is generally a manifestation of what the heart believes (because of what it has experienced), regardless of what the brain understands to be true.

The only reason I know the above to be true is because of my own research and experience.  As one who has dealt with severe fear issues I've also experience its fruit.  Digestion tract disorders, ulcers and tight muscles are said to be side effects of fear.  I've dealt with forms of each of those.

When we leave our heart untouched and choose to live in our mind - we miss reality and walk in real danger.

A person can have a Master's in Clinical Counseling and yet be in deep need of counseling themselves. A person can have the highest IQ and yet waste his life on drugs, etc.

We live in the age of information and our problems are only getting worse. Information isn't the answer and neither is knowing about God. Certainly - seeking the difference between good and evil is not helping anyone - it doesn't give us the strength to choose - only Love can do that.